hidingzeus's review against another edition
2.0
So many of the choices the adults in this book made no sense. It was a little infuriating.
stroberry's review against another edition
stopped at the point where the boy met his friend (claudia) but couldn’t continue reading anymore so was bored by the book… the foreshadowing and introduction was too lengthy and slow
afro8921's review against another edition
3.0
What if everything you believed about yourself is a lie. What if your parents tell you that your birthday, name, and history has to be changed for your safety. This is exactly what happens to 11 year old Noah, an ordinary boy living with his mom and dad. Noah gets a surprise when his mother and father pick him up from school and tell him that they are moving to Berlin, Germany that very day. It's 1989 and Noah will be living in East Berlin, a communist republic. Noah will have to learn to remember his new identity and how to live in a country that views him and his family as a threat. The only bright spot in the new country is his friendship with Cloud Claudia, another displaced youth. Good book for historical fiction readers. The author's note at the end of the story really brings to light the turmoil experienced by the citizens at the time.
flamingo11's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mjordan1434's review against another edition
2.0
If this book would have moved faster it would have been great. However, it moved so slow that I couldn't finish it. I do think that it is very good for the middle grade age group with all of the extra explanation of what is going on in history.
thebookishlibrarian's review
5.0
Noah Keller’s life is turned upside down when his parents pick him up from school one day and announce that they won’t be going home to their house in Roanoke, Virginia, but rather to “the good Germany,” or East Berlin. It’s 1989 and they are hiding behind the Iron Curtain. There are so many secrets and lies that Noah can hardly keep up. For one, his name is now Jonah Brown, and his birthday is no longer in March, but rather in November. He begins to wonder when his mother became multi-lingual and what really happened to the parents of his friend Claudia, whom he calls Cloud. Will Noah’s life ever be the same again?
readingthroughtheages's review against another edition
4.0
Fantastic historical fiction around the time the Berlin Wall came down.
So much history is embedded into this story, makes for a fascinating read.
So much history is embedded into this story, makes for a fascinating read.
catladyreba's review against another edition
3.0
What an interesting book. And as often happens in books that I read, there were some interesting parallels. I happened to be reading The Husband's Secret at the same time, and there is a running theme of The Berlin Wall throughout that book. So interesting. Anyway, this book has so much to it; history, friendship, families, spies. It is definitely worth the read.
yapha's review
4.0
Noah's day went from strange to surreal as his parents picked him up from school, told him his name was now Jonah and his birthday was 6 months later than he thought, threw out his back pack, and went straight to the airport to fly from what was no longer his home in Virginia to East Germany. Noah has an Astonishing Stutter, and speaking German with all of its hard consonants doesn't help. It is 1989 and his mother has received permission to study children with speech defects in East Berlin. It is rare and unusual for Americans to be there, and Noah/Jonah must follow a strict set of rules, which may or may not include the possibility of making friends. This fascinating look at life just before the fall of the Berlin Wall will intrigue young readers who are looking for real-life spy stories. Pair this with Jennifer Nielsen's A Night Divided for a look at the beginning and end of the Wall. Highly recommended to grades 4 & up.