A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen is one of those novels that is an excellent read for students in upper elementary school and above, as well as adults. It skillfully brings history alive and makes it relatable to readers of any age.
“It’s about a girl called Gerta, who wakes up one day to find a huge wall around her small town in East Berlin only to realize her older brother and her father are trapped on the other side with no way of coming home,” says reader Ritzy, 11. “The story is interesting, and it’s a really good book. The characters, plot and the way it’s written [are] great.”
Nielsen wonderfully balances the fine line between not “watering down” or oversimplifying the subject matter while also not being too graphic or heavy for younger readers or the young at heart.
This would be a great choice for families to read together and discuss.
Raela Schoenherr is an editor at Minnesota publishing company. Read more on Twitter @raelaschoenherr.
