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So pleased for such a wonderful review from Kirkus for Over and Out, releasing March 1, 2022.  On the day she was born, Aug. 13, 1961, a wall went up that separated Sophie Ziegel from her family’s past.
Now 12, Sophie and her best friend, Katarina, daydream about escaping East Germany’s oppressive government by crossing the Berlin Wall into freedom in West Berlin. An aspiring scientist, Sophie knows the government will dictate her future as they did for Monika, her 18-year-old babysitter who dreamed of teaching school but has been directed to become a pharmacist instead. Complaining about her assignment lands Monika under the watchful eye of the Stasi, or secret police. Villainous agent Herr Becker threatens to put Sophie’s wheelchair-using mother in an institution if she doesn’t spy on Monika. Braving the “death strip” filled with trip wires, dogs, and armed guards that separates East from West seems like the only option. A surprise encounter with visitors from West Berlin along with Sophie’s Inventor’s Box of scavenged items lead to a high-stakes escape plan. Filled with adrenaline-inducing action and inspired by true stories, this novel evokes the perils of life in East Berlin and the risks some took in search of something better. The ingenuity Sophie and Katarina display in overcoming obstacles is compelling, and the no-win situation Sophie finds herself in rings painfully true. Page-turning action and dangerous intrigue fuel this Cold War–era novel. (author's note) (Historical fiction. 8-12) First reviewed on Kirkus Reviews site on December 15, 2021 https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jenni-l-walsh/over-and-out/  I'm very excited to announce that Over and Out has been chosen as a Spring 2022 Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection!
The Junior Library Guild has a reputation for a keen literary sense; and for selecting books that go on to become award-winners. Find out more about JLG on their website, www.juniorlibraryguild.com. |
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