Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
A Night Divided
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
From NYT bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen comes a stunning thriller about a girl who must escape to freedom after the Berlin Wall divides her family between east and west. With the rise of the Berlin Wall, twelve-year-old Gerta finds her family suddenly divided. She, her mother, and her brother Fritz live on the eastern side, controlled by the Soviets. Her father and middle brother, who had gone west in search of work, cannot return home. Gerta knows it is dangerous to watch the wall, to think forbidden thoughts of freedom, yet she can't help herself. She sees the East German soldiers with their guns trained on their own citizens; she, her family, her neighbors and friends are prisoners in their own city. But one day, while on her way to school, Gerta spots her father on a viewing platform on the western side, pantomiming a peculiar dance. Then, when she receives a mysterious drawing, Gerta puts two and two together and concludes that her father wants Gerta and Fritz to tunnel beneath the wall, out of East Berlin. However, if they are caught, the consequences will be deadly. No one can be trusted. Will Gerta and her family find their way to freedom?
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
review
sblbooks
Night Divided (Scholastic Gold) | Jennifer A Nielsen
post image
Pickpick

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I love to read books about true events. In this one Gerta, and her family are separated by the Berlin Wall in 1961. They were great characters and the story will keep you engaged the whole time. #MiddleGradeMarchThroughTime @megnews

megnews I loved this book so much!! And I love Nielsen. 2y
TheBookHippie I love everything she writes. 2y
sblbooks I really want to read more by her now. 2y
Daisey I‘ve really enjoyed her books, including this one, and have some more on the TBR. 2y
49 likes3 stack adds4 comments
blurb
megnews
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image

My favorite book of March was A Night Divided. I love Jennifer Nielsen‘s fast paced historical fiction. I knew nothing about East Berlin behind the wall and learned a lot.
Runners up were The War I FinallyWon and my reread of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
#12BooksOf2021

Andrew65 Not heard of this but now stacked. 2y
Crazeedi Sounds really good, adding. I need to stop reading people's reviews of favorite books!! Lol😉 2y
megnews @Crazeedi I know! It‘s doing a job on my tbr! 2y
49 likes2 stack adds3 comments
review
LibraryCin
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
Pickpick

This was really good. I knew very little about the Berlin Wall or the politics surrounding it, so this was interesting to learn. And heartbreaking for those families who were separated. In an interview with the author, it seems that most families were eventually reunited, but the exceptions were those people who were “dissidents” (as Gerta‘s father is in the book) – those who were known to not agree with how things were being run.

review
fanbookart
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
Pickpick

Gerta's father and brother went to the west side of Germany to look for work. A few days later, the Berlin Wall was up. Four years later, her dad communicated to her that they should dig a tunnel to escape to the other side.

I don't know much about the history of the Berlin Wall. And this book is more for entertainment than to inform, but this was such a good place to start! Good stuff! #ya #historical

review
megnews
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
Pickpick

Talk about suspense! And rooting for the characters! I didn‘t know anything about East Berlin during the Cold War and learned so much. It will be hard for another #middlegrade novel to top this this March. I can‘t say it enough: just read this book!

SarahBradley This was an amazing story! I‘ve read Words of Fire, and she has a new one out. 3y
megnews @SarahBradley I am reading words on fire now. I added Resistance to my tbr. 3y
52 likes1 stack add2 comments
quote
megnews
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
quote
megnews
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
25 likes1 stack add
review
alisiakae
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
Pickpick

Finished my #doublespin before my #bookspin, which I am still #currentlyreading.

This middle grade historical fiction set in East Berlin during the Cold War sucked me in. It‘s been a long time since I read a book set in Germany that wasn‘t WWII related. It‘s an intense and wonderfully touching story with beautiful characterization. I wish I had read it last year, when Maya was reading it for Battle of the Books. #bookspinbonanza

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
75 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
alisiakae
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image

Went on an #audiowalk this morning at a nearby nature preserve bordering the Catawba River. This area is a blue heron nesting site, and there were a bunch of them that flew away while I was trying to take a pic. 😁 🦅

Didn‘t see a single person. We were here yesterday as a family and the arguing was nonstop. The alone time today was divine.

TrishB Went for a 45 min walk myself too as needed some alone time! This looks lovely. 4y
Singout I'm doing an editing job for a friend, with each of 12 chapters dedicated to a species that congregates in large numbers on the West Coast. The one I'm doing right now is herons! 4y
alisiakae @TrishB I hope you enjoyed your walk and alone time! @Singout that sounds really interesting! 4y
Cathythoughts Lovely , it‘s so good to walk in nature ❤️❤️❤️ 4y
88 likes5 comments
blurb
alisiakae
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image

Starting my #doublespin book while I do some sticker by number tonight! #bookspinbonanza #bookspin

Bookzombie That looks fun! 4y
rjsthumbelina I love sticker by number! Very relaxing...and it goes great with an audiobook! 4y
TheAromaofBooks Oh fun! I've never seen a sticker by number! 4y
Megabooks You‘re much better at Paint by Sticker than I. 4y
mollyrotondo Wow I need to find these! 4y
78 likes5 comments
blurb
alisiakae
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image

Hot cocoa and a stack of books...let the Battle of the Books review and study session begin!

Scochrane26 I wish that battle of the books existed when I was young. 4y
115 likes1 comment
blurb
mrp27
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image

#letstravelaugust #germany

Great mg read about a young girl named Greta trying to reconnect her family after being divided by the Berlin Wall.

OriginalCyn620 Sounds good! 👌🏻📚🇩🇪 5y
40 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
ForeverReader
Night Divided (Scholastic Gold) | Jennifer A Nielsen
post image
Pickpick

Oh my goodness! It was so good. It was quite sad and powerful. It really touched my heart.

review
Pandalibrarian
Night Divided | Jennifer A Nielsen
post image
Pickpick

Another #syncya title done. I really enjoyed this look into the immediate aftermath of the building of the Berlin Wall. It‘s not a subject that I‘ve read a lot about and I appreciated that it was from the perspective of a young girl.

Honeybeegirl I really enjoyed this one! The beginning was slower for me and I set us aside for a bit but, when I came back to it things picked up and I couldn‘t stop listening! 5y
crazyspine Loved the audio for this one 5y
27 likes2 stack adds2 comments
review
Sweettartlaura
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
Pickpick

5⭐️
With all the WWII novels, this was refreshing. It takes place in East Berlin, & starts the day the wall went up. Gerta‘s father & brother were in West Berlin overnight; thus they are divided. They can‘t communicate. The family‘s home is bugged. Each one is being watched.
The tension doesn‘t let up until the very end. The treachery, oppression, constant lying ... the author delivers all this through a child narrator. It‘s really something.

42 likes3 stack adds
review
AmberWB
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
Pickpick

Most of the books I‘ve read this summer have been for my Children‘s Lit class, including this one. I had never heard of it before, and I am so glad I stumbled across it. This tells the story of a family who are suddenly divided when A permanent barrier between East and West Berlin is constructed in the middle of the night. Their determination to reunite, regardless of the risks, had me holding my breath as I read. Strongly recommend.

ShyBookOwl This looks good. I recently read her book about a young woman fighting with a resistance group in Poland during ww2. It was pretty good! 5y
AmberWB @ShyBookOwl ooh, that sounds good! Stacking it! 😊 5y
35 likes2 stack adds2 comments
review
Honeybeegirl
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
Pickpick

This books was emotional and kept me on my toes. Would recommend.

blurb
Honeybeegirl
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image

Decided to put The First Time She Drowned on hold for a bit and listen to this one! I had started it before but it was eating slow so I had set it aside, now there‘s much more going on and is interesting! It‘s a unique perspective on the building of the Berlin Wall and what it was like to life there.

crazyspine I love this one0 5y
9 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
AmberWB
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image

Stuck at the Honda service center until at least 2:30 and will leave with substantially less $$ in my pocket. Going to be honest- feeling a bit sorry for myself today. It‘s been less than a stellar week. BUT, I brought my books and have my coffee, so I am trying to see the silver lining! 😊

Jeannineth Love the sunglasses bag. 5y
rather_be_reading tht bag 😍😍 5y
Crazeedi Sounds like a good book, and I hope you aren't too much poorer when you leave, don't you just hate care repairs? I wish we didn't have to have one! 5y
See All 7 Comments
AmberWB @Jeannineth @rather_be_reading I got it from Book Beau! Love it—can fit 2 books and probably my kindle in there. 😊 5y
AmberWB @Crazeedi I was in that lobby long enough to finish it- it was really good. I recommend it. 5y
Crazeedi @AmberWB wow that was a marathon wait!! 5y
AmberWB @Crazeedi 9:30-3. 😮😮 5y
31 likes7 comments
review
Daisey
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
Pickpick

Although I could see this classified as either, I would consider it slightly more #middlegrade than #YA and am reviewing as such. For that audience, I think it is a wonderful family story and description of the experiences of East Germans soon after the building of the Berlin Wall. It clearly describes the difficulty and danger without ever being too graphic.

One note about the audio narration in the comments.👇

#AudiobookSync #audiobook

Daisey One thing that annoyed me a bit about the narration was that specifically the East German guards‘ voices were read with an accent. All the characters are German, so why were just these characters specifically read that way? It may be just my perception, but it seemed to possibly be a part of their negative portrayal. (edited) 5y
marleed That‘s a really interesting point. I wonder if I would have picked up on it - I hope so! 5y
Daisey @marleed I consciously realized it when one of them turned out to be a former classmate and friend of the brother. It seemed their voices should be similar. 5y
64 likes5 stack adds3 comments
blurb
Daisey
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image

I‘ve had this book on my TBR for a while and am enjoying the audio I downloaded through #audiobookSync. I don‘t know of many #middlegrade or #YA books with stories of the impact of the Berlin Wall, so I‘m glad it‘s also in my class library.

Today was another rainy day, but I got out for walk this afternoon to make sure I met my step goal for the first day of this round of the #BookFitnessChallenge.

#BFC #BFCr2 #audiobook #audiowalk

wanderinglynn Great start! 🙌🏻 And way to go not letting the rain slow you down. 5y
Dawnrod1970 Awesome start! 5y
Laughterhp Great start!! 5y
See All 6 Comments
LazyOwl Well done, great start 5y
Daisey @LazyOwl Thanks! 5y
60 likes6 comments
review
Mdonald
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
Pickpick
review
cookreadsleep
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
Pickpick

A wonderful story about the effect the Berlin Wall had on Berlin, from the perspective of those trapped on the eastern side of the wall. Highly recommended for young people learning about WWII and its aftermath.

review
bewareofwords
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
Mehso-so

This was a quick audiobook. I thought the story was interesting, but (either because I didn‘t like the reader or because it was middle grade) the main character annoyed me a little. I liked the book regardless, and I was rooting for this family to succeed!

review
OneCent76
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
Pickpick

This is an amazing book set in Germany when the wall separated Berlin. It follows a family, specifically a young girl, that deals with the father and brother on one side and the rest of the family on the other. They attempt an escape to west Berlin to meet up with the father and brother and what happens leading up to it is sad and stressful. This book does an excellent job putting us in Berlin during a very scary and sad time. SWON TRC 2019

MrBook Great review! 5y
OneCent76 Thank you! 5y
Freespirit It sounds good! 5y
32 likes2 stack adds3 comments
review
ambam1987
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
Pickpick

One of my Sweet Treats and Reads book club kiddos recommended this book. I couldn‘t put this book down. Interesting middle-grade fiction about the Berlin Wall and a families determination and courage to reunite.

Ask kids and teens for recommended reading!

16 likes1 stack add
review
Abby2
Night Divided | Jennifer A Nielsen
post image
Pickpick

Very exciting ya historical fiction about a family separated by the Berlin Wall. This is a subject rarely covered. It is well handled and clear. I enjoyed it.

TheBookHippie I loved this one too!!!! 5y
10 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
heidisreads
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image

Great audio! I did speed it up a little because I was in a hurry. Middle grade historical fiction set when the Berlin Wall was just built and a few years after. Focuses on one particular family who has been separated by the Wall and yearns to be back together. #historicalfiction #middlegrade #hoopladigital #hoopla

17 likes1 stack add
review
crazyspine
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
Pickpick

A student recommends this book. This is another title I can add to my arsenal of high-interest reads that don't have cursing or extreme violence. A Night Divided portrays the Cold War in Germany in an accurate manner while keeping the reader on the edge of his/her seat.

64 likes2 stack adds
review
hwestfall
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
Pickpick

I enjoyed this book and learned a few things along the way. I especially loved the interaction between my 7th grade son and I. He continually asked me where I was at. What did I think about certain parts of the book. It was great to spend time talking about books and history with him!

7 likes1 stack add
blurb
hwestfall
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image

While my cinnamon roll dough rises I am enjoying a cup of my favorite tea. #royalalbert #englishbreakfast

blurb
hwestfall
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image

My 7th grader just finished this at school and highly recommended it to me. My kiddos love it when I read books they love.

blurb
hwestfall
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image

Killing two birds with one stone in this post for #ReadingResolutions ? This is most of my #marchtbr list and I am finally enjoying some sunshine through our big #windows in the music room. This is my favorite room in the house to sit and read. I also have The Alice Network and Ready Player One on audiobook for March. I am knocking off 4 of my "read what you already own" list. @Jess7

Jess7 🤗🤗 6y
6 likes1 comment
review
TheBookHippie
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
Pickpick

Woe.

The tagged book is excellent for 4th grade on up in my opinion .

[DELETED] 3803335244 I added this to my list last week, how neat! Because I didn‘t know the days ❤️ 6y
Tamra 👏🏾👏🏾 6y
SaraBeagle My 12 year old enjoyed it 6y
JaclynW This was a great book! My daughter loved it too! 6y
74 likes4 comments
blurb
HiddenGemBooks
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image

With the rise of the Berlin Wall, Gerta finds her family divided overnight. Her mother and brother live on the east side. Her father and middle brother, in the west. Gerta knows its dangerous to think thoughts of freedom, yet she can't help herself. She, her family, and her neighbors are prisoners in their own city.

But one day, Gerta learns that her father wants her to tunnel beneath the wall. Will Gerta and her family find their way to freedom?

46 likes3 stack adds
review
Booknerd2
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
Pickpick

“And Gerta, you must grow up where you can read any book you want”. A great WWII book for kids. Recommended by a 5th grade teacher at school. About the erecting of the Berlin Wall. It ripped families apart overnight. This is what one family will do to reunite.

59 likes1 stack add
review
MegD511
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
This post contains spoilers
show me
post image
Pickpick

A fierce unrelenting young girl who is determined to be free and have her own state of mind in a world where that is considered an act of treason. She fights (tunnels) her way to the West so she can reunite her family once more. An inspiring story that will change the hearts of all those who read it.

review
MandaMT
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
Mehso-so

I was really excited about this book. A young girl and her brother plan to tunnel out of East Berlin to join the rest of their family on the other side of the wall. While there are plenty of high quality historical fiction texts about the Holocaust for young readers, there is little about divided Germany in the 1960s. Even so, I had a hard time getting into it. The author wrote in many obstacles for them to overcome, but it still felt repetitive.

blurb
CocoaKoalaCat
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image

This has been a very good book so far! It's about the Berlin Wall when the East and West Berlin got separated. (This book is not nonfiction)

HotCocoaReads So it is fiction?!? 7y
CocoaKoalaCat Yes it is, it's like historical fiction. 7y
5 likes3 comments
review
TheHeartlandBookFairy
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
Pickpick

This was one of our 6 book club selections. This book is actually written for 8 to 12 year olds but there's no way I can imagine an eight-year-old reading this book. 12 yes, 8 no. I actually enjoyed this book and think many adults will as well! I love the story of courage and bravery and it had me on the edge of my seat! "Geschichte wiederholt sich. History repeats itself." ~German proverb. Truth!!!

blurb
Daisey
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image

I happened to scroll through Litsy before leaving school today, so I read the #FunFridayPhoto prompt while still in my classroom. This is the random stack of books on my desk that students have returned but not reshelved. It includes a few really great books, as well as A Night Divided, which is still on my TBR.

#TeachersofLitsy #YA #middlegrade #MsDsLibrary

MidnightBookGirl The Westing Game is one of my all time favorite books, I even had a dog named Turtle because I loved her character so much. 7y
Daisey @MidnightBookGirl That's great! I read it with my 6th graders each year, and it's one of my favorites to read with students because of all the interesting discussion! 7y
33 likes2 comments
review
Bookgoil
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
Pickpick

Absolutely loved this book! I haven't read a lot of literature set during the rise of the Berlin Wall and how it divided Germany. Loved the story!

24 likes2 stack adds
blurb
Bookgoil
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image

Been meaning to read this for a while! I love her other books but this one is so different. Historical fiction about the Berlin Wall going up. Loving it so far!

19 likes3 stack adds
blurb
Eggs
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image

A divided city, a divided family. The rise of the Berlin Wall

10 likes2 stack adds
blurb
mrp27
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image

#seasonsreadings2016
#weneeddiversebooks
Because diversity is so important and these titles feel timely, this topic deserves a second posting lest we should forget.

EvieBee I love this stack! I feel like I‘m systematically working my way through them all. 6y
mrp27 @EvieBee Thanks! For once I've actually read all the books and liked them, except for The War That Saved My Life, I still need to read that one. 6y
EvieBee I just finished it and it‘s amazing! 6y
11 likes3 comments
review
wildcatmedia
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
Pickpick

Almost finished - really enjoying this one.

review
Nitpickyabouttrains
A Night Divided | Jennifer A. Nielsen
post image
Pickpick

A look at the Berlin Wall and the way it changed one girls life.