Escape to West Berlin
Grade 4-7–It is 1961, and Heidi's 13th summer is filled with disappointments. First her parents cancel their annual trip to her beloved grandmother's farm because Mutter is about to give birth. Then Heidi's father is labeled a "border crosser" because he continues to travel from East Berlin to work in West Berlin. This causes a threat of eviction from their apartment and the loss of her best friend. When an opportunity to defect to the West arises, the only thing standing in the way of her freedom and new life is the Teltow Canal and Heidi's haunting fear of the water. Dahlberg presents a realistic portrayal of the formal separation of East and West Germany and the building of the Berlin Wall. Cultural lessons and German dialect are smoothly incorporated into the narrative. The climax is well timed and, though somewhat obvious, holds readers' attention. Youngsters will also relate to Heidi's emotional struggle with maturity, where episodes of clinging and pouting are intermingled with the desire to be treated like an adult and to be given more independence.–Kimberly Monaghan, formerly at Vernon Area Public Library, ILCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.