The Wall is a nonfiction story about a boy who grew up in a world governed by Communism. At the beginning, the boy says one of his passions is drawing and from that point on we see his narrative of the Cold War through his drawings and journal entries. Sis’ heartbreaking tale of following orders (“After drawing whatever he wants to at home, he drew what he was told to at school” (5-6)) and being unable to cultivate his passions is a great history lesson for young adult readers who often have a hard time sitting down and reading more traditional non-fiction.
Although The Wall’s story length is short compared to other nonfiction titles there is a lot to take in. The drawings are elaborate and require a lot of time to examine and even more time to reflect on the personal and cultural meanings behind the drawings. Sis’ visual triumph in both life (in leaving Communist Soviet Union) and in his work, as an award-winning author, provide young readers a glimpse into a lesser well-known global conflict that is a part of United States and global history.
One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was the visual aspect of the narrative. Sis did a great job including information about the Cold War and the Berlin Wall in a visual format as well as in literary format. This book would be a great tool to use with various types of learners since it includes information for the literary and visual leaner.
I think readers interested in history and nonfiction will enjoy this book because of its coverage of a lesser known topic because it is not an overwhelming read, but takes a different, more personal approach to talking about the Cold War. I also think that readers interested in art or book illustrations will find this book particularly intriguing.
No comments:
Post a Comment