A Night Divided

Gerta wakes up one morning to find her city divided by a fence.  East Berlin is controlled by the Communists, and Gerta's father and brother are on the other side.  She, her mother, and her older brother are trapped.  The fence is patrolled by soldiers who will shoot to get their message across.  Eventually, the fence becomes a wall, and Gerta wonders if she will ever escape or see her father again.

Her older brother Fitz becomes increasingly frustrated with life in the East, and Gerta, too, longs for freedom.  One day after years of separation, she see her brother and her father on the wall.  It is dangerous to stop and stare, but it seems like Papa is trying to tell her something.  Does Papa want her to...dig?

With the threat of death hanging over them at every moment, Fritz and Gerta begin their plan to escape Communist rule to find freedom in the East.  Gerta will have to sacrifice food, safety, and friendship to attain her dream, but she is determined to have her freedom at any cost, even if that cost is her life.

Historical fiction is a departure for Jennifer A. Nielson, but this book is definitely a winner!  Highly recommended especially for kids who devour books about the Holocaust.  This is a good stepping stone for discussion about what happened after WWII.