Quite interesting but very repetitive.back-to-my-childhood1 Julia2,695 82

The Wall Between Us by Dan Smith is a powerful historical children’s novel that totally gripped me. I just could not put it down and read it in just two sittings, pausing only to sleep.
The novel is about the erecting of the Berlin Wall in 1961. This literally divided families as the wall split Berlin in two. The Berlin Wall was actually 155Km long with just three checkpoints, the most famous being Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin. West Germany was divided from Soviet controlled East Germany, which was a very different place to live.
All the action is seen through the eyes of two twelve year old cousins who lived either side of the street that the wall cut in two. They were sisters and best friends, nothing had ever divided them before, they even shared Otto the cat.
The action is written in the form of letters, notes, diary entries and reports. History literally comes alive for the reader. We can ‘feel’ the fear and the disappointment. It is easy to empathise with both girls.
This was a time of mistrust, distrust and betrayal. Anyone could be an informant. It was best to trust no one and to keep one’s opinions private. It was also a time where bribery and coercion were used. A young girl’s openness and innocence is manipulated as she becomes a pawn in a dangerous game.
Lives were altered forever as guilt threatened to sink characters. Innocence was forever marred.
Dan Smith has produced a marvellous tale. The Wall Between Us is a social commentary on the times. 1961 was a momentous time in history. wise, 1989 when the wall came down is also momentous. Everyone remembers what they were doing as the news broke of the wall coming down. As a child born in the 1960’s, I had only ever known of a time with the Berlin Wall. To watch the events unfold in 1989 on my television really was history unfolding before my eyes. The significance was not really realized by me at the time.
The Wall Between Us is a powerful tale for anyone aged twelve years and over. History really does spring to life as the reader empathises with Anja and Monika. The Wall Between Us should be part of the English national curriculum. It is such a powerful read about a dark time. We should all be aware of the past, so that we do not repeat it.
The Wall Between Us would also make a fabulous television series – any producers out there, please take note.2 s Hundred Acre1,152 25

For Dan Smith this is his eighth children’s book published with Chicken House and it is another outstanding story. Set in the Cold War it is atmospheric, historically accurate and highly emotional. Smith knows how to tell a story, he crafts the words of his story with skill, utterly convincing, enchanting despite the setting and powerful. His books are rich in detail demonstrating the amount of research he has done and leaving readers fully immersed in the world that he has woven. The Cold War is something that children now study in KS2 and makes use of various media showing his real-world research and making it ideal for home as well as school reading.

It is 1961, we find ourselves in Berlin, we meet Anja and Monika, best friends who even share a cat called Otto. Everything is great until a huge barbed wire fence is erected between their apartment blocks and everything about their lives changes. Their city, their lives have been divided by the Berlin Wall. Anja finds herself in the West, Monika in the East. Anja is certain the wall will be taken down, but Monika sees things differently, her world is changing, some neighbours disappear, others become spies and there are threats around every corner. Then Anja realizes Otto has found a way across. If he can reach Monika, can she…? This high-stakes story is very much edge-of-your-seat reading, it is a fascinating insight into a world we can only imagine, and it is incredibly atmospheric.historical middle-grade ya2 s Lara A453 5

3.5

This is technically as children's book, but frankly it has more depth than the average YA. Told largely in an epistolary format with various forms of communication between cousins and best friends Anja and Monika as they find themselves on different sides of the Berlin Wall. Having recently visited Berlin its notable how thin the wall actually was. Yet its impact was colossal and Smith does well to convey how the wall began as a fence that sprang up overnight and gradually worsened into the near-impermeable barrier it became. The role of the Stasi and how people became ensmeshed in them is also clearly illustrated without being too didactic.

I felt the story stopped a little sooner than I would have d, but I cannot deny that the story arrived its aim, making an almost hard to believe historical event come alive. Isa Rive416 3

3.5 stars
Anja and Monika are cousins and best friends who are separated suddenly when a wall is built down their street in Berlin. Set in a fascinating time in history when Germany is separated into East and West, the story is mostly narrated in alternating perspectives from their letters/journal writing which are catalogued in a police file. Anja realises her cat is appearing on the barricades' far side and sneaks out at night to follow it in the hopes of seeing her cousin again. At times Anja is annoyingly naive and Monika lacking in sense. But the author manages to convey the fear which pervaded life and the way people were manipulated into telling tales on their neighbours and colleagues. Not quite as stand out as "Cloud and Wallfish" by Anne Nesbet, but still enjoyable and informative.middle-fiction Barbara HendersonAuthor 12 books32

I absolutely adored this book. The diary format worked well, making the story accessible and clear. I remember growing up in Germany and, as a teen, watching the wall fall on television in utter disbelief and with immense hope. Dan Smith is an immensely gifted storyteller and handles this tricky period with sensitivity and care. While we often think of the end of the wall, we very rarely reflect on the ordinary people and the children who watched it rise. Take a bow, Dan Smith. This one is a keeper for me. Katherine14

Wow wow wow, 5++ stars for this! Edge of your seat thriller set in a relatively recent period in history that many children may not know about - they learn about WWII but probably not so much about the Cold War period. Absolutely fascinating and no doubt realistic insight into a city divided and how difficult it would have been to trust anyone at the time. It reminded me of another fantastic YA book - I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys, which is set in 1980s Communist Romania. Would recommend anyone who enjoys this to try that book, although it is aimed at a slightly older readership. Steph1,157 84

This has been sitting patiently on my TBR for quite a while now! I am a quiet lover of history (especially around WW2)… and my god I regret waiting so long to read this! There’s not much fiction set around the building of the Berlin Wall and Dan Smith has written something gripping, terrifying and brilliant. There’s so much paranoia, espionage and friendship in this and lots of it juxtaposes each other at times. I read this in one sitting - it’s that good! This is going STRAIGHT to my classroom library! Abi SF83

I consumed this little treasure in one sitting. A glorious piece of history meets YA; characters to root for, an emotional rollercoaster and tackling hard-hitting issues in a way that is both accessible and engaging for young adults.
I've been a fan of Dan Smith's work for a long time - particularly for studying with Year 7s - but I think this is my favourite of his. Looking forward to seeing him speak in September. Beth988 38

I really enjoyed this book about a subject I didn't know that much about. The characters really brought the story to life with the dual perspectives of the letters and diary entries. There were some very emotional moments, especially towards the end, which, along with the suspense, made me keep reading quickly until I reached the last page. mrs hayley mason100

I absolutely love Dan Smith. His writing is engaging from start to finish. So informative and compassionate. Kate Elizabeth22

4.5 Clare D202 1 follower

I enjoyed this book and think it is perfect for fans of Alan Gratz! I will be adding it to our grade school library catalog and reading more Dan Smith. work-reading Katie73

Absolutely fantastic. A perfect balance of history, character and emotion. I will definitely read more by Dan Smith. A quick, easy read but I was hooked to the end. Even brought a tear. Fabulous. Matilda Coleman2

Hands down best book I’ve read ??????2024 Judyleach190

A young-adult interesting read about the beginning of the Berlin wall told in the perspectives of 2 12-year old friends separated by the wall. Kara Welker86

Great read aloud for older kids. A mini history lesson mixed in with a novel. A similar middle grade book, A Night Divided, I d more. But really d this one also.2024 BookBairn445 20

Really enjoyed reading about this time period - I haven’t read any fiction set during the erection of the Berlin Wall and I found it fascinating. I loved the friendship between the cousins and really d the way the story unfolded through letters and diary entries. It was, however, not very realistic with traitors, escape attempts and some unly decision making from the main characters. The epilogue set years later was a nice touch as I often wonder what happens to child characters when they grow up.read-2023 Torchlight Under The Covers62

Adored this beautiful novel about a family torn apart by the Berlin wall <3 Anja and Monika's story was so poignant, and I shed a tear when they were reunited when the wall was torn down 19 years later One of the best works of historical fiction from a child's perspective that I have ever read!best-of-2024 grp kidlit Mrs Walsh574 5

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