THE WALL: GROWING UP BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN by Peter Sis

In this autobiography, Peter Sis reveals what it was like growing up and living in Communist Czechoslovakia during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. Having loved to draw from an early age, Sis was forced to keep his drawings hidden so that he and his family would not get in trouble with the government. Sis grew to love music, including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Beach Boys. Eventually he immigrated to the United States. Now, when he travels back to Czechoslovakia with his family, it is hard for them to imagine how different things were during the years Sis was growing up.

This is a brief, but informative overview of what life was like growing up in a Communist country before the Berlin Wall came down. The illustrations were interesting, done in black, white, and red to indicate the Communist presence. Sis used a variety of bright colors to illustrate Western influences. I found this book easy to relate to because it was written in the autobiographical style. Excerpts from the author’s journal help to further convey what life was like for the author and his family during those dark and challenging times.