Wall by T. M. Cole
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20361/G25G69Abstract
Cole, Tom Clohosy. Wall. London: Templar Books, 2014. Print.
Author and illustrator Tom Clohosy Cole tells a poignant story about a little boy separated from his father by the Berlin Wall. The boy worries about his father on the other side of the great divide and dreams of the day when they will find each other again, all with the looming presence of the barb-wired Wall in the background of every page. Inspired by true stories of people being reunited with their loved ones, Cole writes from a little boy’s perspective about hope and his courageous journey with his family to find his father.
Although there are very few words in this picture book, the mood is captured with Cole’s use of simple and dark illustrations that evoke a sense of sadness then eloquently juxtaposes these images with brighter pictures of the opposite side of the Wall representing the possibility of hope. You will need time to read these images as they truly capture the treacherous passage that many people risked their lives to take to find peace for themselves. Cole focalizes his illustrations from the perspective of the boy looking out into his world and suddenly manages to shift this perspective as if the reader is the boy looking out during one of the most dramatic scenes in the story. Will this family be unified at last? Find out when you read this story of enduring hope in a seemingly impossible situation.
I strongly recommend this story for upper elementary students as they may relate to the idea of separation from family, but they may struggle with understanding the political themes within this story.
Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 stars
Reviewer: Krishna Chavda
Krishna Chavda is an elementary school teacher for the Elk Island Public School District. She is currently pursuing graduate studies in the area of Language and Literacy at the University of Alberta. She is passionate about the area of literacy at the primary school level.
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