Book Discussion Guide

The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis

If you think a book about growing up behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War would be boring, think again. Much like a graphic novel, Peter Sís shares his early life of growing up in Communist Prague. Your family will live the clash of political ideals and creative dreams by gazing at Sís’s incredible drawings and reading his journal entries. The complexity of the topic and quality of images make for a perfect book for 5th graders to share with their families as a read aloud. The Wall provides a context to learn about the past and to begin making sense of the present.

Questions To Talk About
While Reading

Vocabulary

It's important to make sure that your child has an understanding of key words in the book. Talking about words while reading is a great way for your child to learn new words.

In this book, you might talk about these words:

compulsory (pg. 4)
ideals (pg. 6)
uprising (pg. 7)
prohibited (pg. 10)
brainwashing (pg. 11)
capitalist (pg. 14)
censorship (pg. 22)
deported (pg. 24)

You might use a question like:

Based on the book, what does compulsory mean? What other words does the author use (context clues) to help you figure out what it means? How is this word different than its synonym(s)?

Key Ideas and Themes

In addition to words, it's important to talk about key ideas and themes and how they develop over the course of the book.

Here are some examples to get you started:

1
On the second page, Sís defines three foundational terms—Iron Curtain, Cold War, Communism. The abstract nature of these ideas may be difficult for your child to grasp in a meaningful way so it’s important to go point them out. The story further defines each of these terms by providing authentic examples from Sís’s life. The tricky part is that the definition isn’t always explicit. Return your child’s attention to these definitions while reading the book. Talk about what Sís is describing to create a richer understanding for your child.
2
Sís’s use of color is strategic and engaging when paired with the dominant black and white line drawings. After reading the book, return to the beginning and “read” the color. Ask your child what Sís might be saying with the color. Compare the message of the words with that of the color.
3
The word “compulsory” is written in all caps and in bold font all throughout the book. Talk with your child about why this might be. Where in the book do you learn what this means?
4
Rebellion against authority is one main theme in this book. Ask your child what this rebellion is. What role do the arts play in the expression of that rebellion? What role do the arts play in today’s society? Be sure your child uses the book to help answer the questions.
5
Near the end of the book, on pages 43 and 44, there is a drawing of a field from an aerial perspective. The field is divided into sections. Each section is labeled and includes small details. Ask your child what he or she thinks Sís’s message is on these pages. Tell him or her to think about the many details—divisions, bodies of water and how they flow, the relationship between each section, etc. Compare these abstract ideas with the realistic facts of the story and talk about the relationship between the two.

Extra Activities

1
The notion that maps change—borders move, countries rise and fall—might be confusing to a child who is just learning about the world. The opening sentence of this book references this. What an opportunity for you and your child to look at various maps and talk about the causes and effects of such shifts in borders and power. Begin close to home. Find maps of your city or state online and note the changes. Talk about why they might have changed. Then, begin looking at maps of your country and then expand to the world. A quick search on the Internet will yield more maps than you would ever need. Library of Congress has an extensive collection of maps.