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Over and Out
The story of a young girl from Cold War East Berlin forced to spy for the secret police... but who is determined to escape to freedom.
Twelve-year-old Sophie has spent her entire life behind the Berlin Wall, guarded by land mines, towers, and attack dogs. A science lover, Sophie dreams of becoming an inventor... even though that's not likely on her side of the Wall, where the Stasi, the secret police, are always watching.
Though she tries to avoid their notice, when her beloved neighbor is arrested, Sophie is called to her principal's office. There, a young Stasi officer asks Sophie if she'll spy on her neighbor as an informant once she is released. Sophie doesn't want to agree, but in reality has no choice: The Stasi threaten that her mother, who has a disability from post-polio syndrome, could be taken to an institution if Sophie does not comply.
Sophie is backed into a corner, until she learns secrets about her family on the other side of the Wall. This could be what she needs to attempt an escape with her mother to freedom -- if she can invent her way out.
Twelve-year-old Sophie has spent her entire life behind the Berlin Wall, guarded by land mines, towers, and attack dogs. A science lover, Sophie dreams of becoming an inventor... even though that's not likely on her side of the Wall, where the Stasi, the secret police, are always watching.
Though she tries to avoid their notice, when her beloved neighbor is arrested, Sophie is called to her principal's office. There, a young Stasi officer asks Sophie if she'll spy on her neighbor as an informant once she is released. Sophie doesn't want to agree, but in reality has no choice: The Stasi threaten that her mother, who has a disability from post-polio syndrome, could be taken to an institution if Sophie does not comply.
Sophie is backed into a corner, until she learns secrets about her family on the other side of the Wall. This could be what she needs to attempt an escape with her mother to freedom -- if she can invent her way out.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2022
21 people are currently reading
407 people want to read
About the author
Jenni L. Walsh
16 books638 followersJenni L. Walsh is the USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen books for adults and children, spending her days knee deep in words in Philadelphia’s suburbia. Beyond words, Jenni is a mama (of a soulful eleven-year-old, a soccer-loving nine-year-old, and six needy furbabies), a wife, a Philly and 'Nova sports fan.
But where did it all begin? Jenni spent her early years dabbling in various forms of writing and with her nose in a book. Her writing chops first began to develop through one-page stories. Never fail, the storyline followed the same progression: girl meets boy, girl marries boy, girl and boy have baby. That's it.
Now Jenni has moved on to stories with a bit more depth and, for the mamas, Side by Side is a historical women's fiction story of America’s most infamous crime spree of Bonnie and Clyde told in the raw and honest voice of the woman who lived it, Bonnie Parker. In Becoming Bonnie, a prequel set in the Roaring Twenties, a picture of Bonnie's earlier life, before and while she meets Clyde, is brought to life. Jenni's third historical women's fiction book A Betting Woman takes us to the California gold rush, featuring a little known woman from history, Eleanor Dumont, but who is largely remembered by the moniker Madame Moustache. In The Call of the Wrens, Jenni introduces readers to the Women's Royal Naval Service (the Wrens), who carried wartime secrets on their shoulders as motorcycle dispatch riders during both world wars. Unsinkable is Jenni's first bestselling novel, hitting the USA Today bestsellers list, and is about two resilient women, one of which is the real-life Violet Jessop who survived the Titanic and two additional maritime disasters. Jenni's next historical novel Ace, Marvel, Spy features Alice Marble, who was the world's number one women's tennis player, an editor for the Wonder Woman comics, and a spy during the Second World War. Up next from Jenni, in October 2025, is Sonora, a historical novel about performer Sonora Carver, one of the first women to dive from a forty-five foot tower on the back of a horse and who inspired the film Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken.
For the kiddos, Jenni's debut middle grade books, She Dared, features true stories from women who, at a young age, accomplished daring feats of perseverance and bravery. She is also the author of I Am Defiance, inspired by a real-life resistance group, known as the White Rose. Jenni has contributed Hettie and the London Blitz: A World War II Survival Story to the Girl's Survive series. Revolutionary War hero Sybil Ludington, who is often known as the "female Paul Revere," is brought to life in By the Light of Fireflies, Jenni's first historical novel with a touch of magical realism. Over and Out is a thrilling and fast-paced espionage and escape story that is inspired by real stories of life in East Berlin during the Cold War. Operation: Happy, set during the attack on Pearl Harbor, tells the story of a real-life survivor and includes the POV of her dog, Happy, to soften the events of one of America's most notable moments in history. In May 2025, Jenni is excited to be releasing her first contemporary novel, a mystery/adventure story called The Bug Bandits, which is inspired by a real heist and the shenanigans of Home Alone.
But where did it all begin? Jenni spent her early years dabbling in various forms of writing and with her nose in a book. Her writing chops first began to develop through one-page stories. Never fail, the storyline followed the same progression: girl meets boy, girl marries boy, girl and boy have baby. That's it.
Now Jenni has moved on to stories with a bit more depth and, for the mamas, Side by Side is a historical women's fiction story of America’s most infamous crime spree of Bonnie and Clyde told in the raw and honest voice of the woman who lived it, Bonnie Parker. In Becoming Bonnie, a prequel set in the Roaring Twenties, a picture of Bonnie's earlier life, before and while she meets Clyde, is brought to life. Jenni's third historical women's fiction book A Betting Woman takes us to the California gold rush, featuring a little known woman from history, Eleanor Dumont, but who is largely remembered by the moniker Madame Moustache. In The Call of the Wrens, Jenni introduces readers to the Women's Royal Naval Service (the Wrens), who carried wartime secrets on their shoulders as motorcycle dispatch riders during both world wars. Unsinkable is Jenni's first bestselling novel, hitting the USA Today bestsellers list, and is about two resilient women, one of which is the real-life Violet Jessop who survived the Titanic and two additional maritime disasters. Jenni's next historical novel Ace, Marvel, Spy features Alice Marble, who was the world's number one women's tennis player, an editor for the Wonder Woman comics, and a spy during the Second World War. Up next from Jenni, in October 2025, is Sonora, a historical novel about performer Sonora Carver, one of the first women to dive from a forty-five foot tower on the back of a horse and who inspired the film Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken.
For the kiddos, Jenni's debut middle grade books, She Dared, features true stories from women who, at a young age, accomplished daring feats of perseverance and bravery. She is also the author of I Am Defiance, inspired by a real-life resistance group, known as the White Rose. Jenni has contributed Hettie and the London Blitz: A World War II Survival Story to the Girl's Survive series. Revolutionary War hero Sybil Ludington, who is often known as the "female Paul Revere," is brought to life in By the Light of Fireflies, Jenni's first historical novel with a touch of magical realism. Over and Out is a thrilling and fast-paced espionage and escape story that is inspired by real stories of life in East Berlin during the Cold War. Operation: Happy, set during the attack on Pearl Harbor, tells the story of a real-life survivor and includes the POV of her dog, Happy, to soften the events of one of America's most notable moments in history. In May 2025, Jenni is excited to be releasing her first contemporary novel, a mystery/adventure story called The Bug Bandits, which is inspired by a real heist and the shenanigans of Home Alone.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
January 15, 2023
A fun and engrossing read:) You'll root for Sophie the whole time.. I was white knuckling near the end! (Would also recommend "A Night Divided by Jennifer Nielsen to read after/along with this one).
For me, reading Jenni Walsh's books is always a great time.. she's good at putting you in the points of history she's writing about and connecting you with the characters.
I can't imagine living like Sophie and Katarina :( Always having to look over your shoulder, never knowing who is an informant and listening in *shudders*
Loved the bond between Sophie and her Mama and with Katarina.. reminded me how close I am with my close circle.
Always hard to find the words for your favorite books isn't it?
Would highly recommend 👌 👍
For me, reading Jenni Walsh's books is always a great time.. she's good at putting you in the points of history she's writing about and connecting you with the characters.
I can't imagine living like Sophie and Katarina :( Always having to look over your shoulder, never knowing who is an informant and listening in *shudders*
Loved the bond between Sophie and her Mama and with Katarina.. reminded me how close I am with my close circle.
Always hard to find the words for your favorite books isn't it?
Would highly recommend 👌 👍
October 27, 2022
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Sophie was born on the same day that the Berlin Wall went up-- August 13, 1961. Living in East Berlin with her single mother (who doesn't talk about her father) is all she has ever known. Her mother, who had polio as a child and uses a wheelchair after her conditioned worsened when Sophie was small, has a job in a research lab where she is able to sit down, and their apartment has an elevator she can use most of the time. (Although there is also a paternoster, which looks terrifying, especially with a wheelchair!) Sophie knows that because her mother has a more academic job, she herself will probably have to work in a factory, so the family isn't too "bourgeoisie". She and her friend Katrina are very interested in science and invention, and spend a lot of time scouring the trash for recyclables but also things they can use to create devices. This is a little unusual for 1974, but after the girls find some books hidden in the floorboards that discuss women inventors, they are even firmer in their resolve to continue to study math and science as long as they can. When Sophie's neighbor and babysitter, Monika, is assigned a job in a pharmacy instead of as a teacher, she makes her unhappiness known, which brings her to the attention of the communist party. Herr Becker approaches Sophie and gives her the "opportunity" to help out by spying on her friend. Sophie, of course, doesn't want to do this, but Herr Becker threatens to have her mother fired from her job, which would mean that she would be placed in a nursing home because of her disability. When Sophie and Katrina see a group of students from West Berlin on a tour in their city, they see a girl who looks almost exactly like Sophie. When asked, her mother admits that they have family in the West, and the girl she saw is her cousin Ava. This is the final straw that compels the girls to make actual plans to escape to the West. They had thought about it, but the journey is treacherous, and they didn't know how they would survive as refugees. Knowing there is family on the other side, they try to figure out ways to get across, and come up with a dangerous idea that involves engineering, a zip line, and archery. They want to take their families as well, so make the plans without telling them, to maintain as much safety as they can. In the meantime, Herr Becker is unhappy that Sophie isn't spying as much as he would like, and he also has suspicions about her activity. Will she and Katrina be able to get their families to a new life in the West?
Strengths: This is a particularly interesting point in time to set a book in East Berlin. The wall is a number of years from coming down, but has been up for Sophie's entire lifetime, and her mother was involved with Sophie Scholl's White Rose movement during WWII. The mother's reasons for being in East Berlin are solid, and rather heartbreaking. Sophie and Katrina are great friends, although they have their moments, and I loved that they had an interest in science and technology. One of my favorite parts was Katrina using a boy she liked to teach them how to shoot a bow and arrow! Taking ten people down a zip line and over the border seemed like a bit of a stretch, but an author's note describes other similar daring escapes that were successful.
Weaknesses: I could have used a few more details about daily life under the Soviets, although there are a few mentions of waiting in lines in stores and descriptions of clothing.
What I really think: There are not as many books about the Berlin Wall as I would have thought. Degens Freya on the Wall (1997), Kephart's Going Over (2014), Nielsen's A Night Divided (2015), and Nesbet's Cloud and Wallfish (2016) and the only ones I could find. This one was particularly interesting, if a bit unbelievable at times. Since this author's I Am Defiance does well, I'm definitely purchasing. Of course, the fact that Sophie is only four years older than I am gave me pause!
Sophie was born on the same day that the Berlin Wall went up-- August 13, 1961. Living in East Berlin with her single mother (who doesn't talk about her father) is all she has ever known. Her mother, who had polio as a child and uses a wheelchair after her conditioned worsened when Sophie was small, has a job in a research lab where she is able to sit down, and their apartment has an elevator she can use most of the time. (Although there is also a paternoster, which looks terrifying, especially with a wheelchair!) Sophie knows that because her mother has a more academic job, she herself will probably have to work in a factory, so the family isn't too "bourgeoisie". She and her friend Katrina are very interested in science and invention, and spend a lot of time scouring the trash for recyclables but also things they can use to create devices. This is a little unusual for 1974, but after the girls find some books hidden in the floorboards that discuss women inventors, they are even firmer in their resolve to continue to study math and science as long as they can. When Sophie's neighbor and babysitter, Monika, is assigned a job in a pharmacy instead of as a teacher, she makes her unhappiness known, which brings her to the attention of the communist party. Herr Becker approaches Sophie and gives her the "opportunity" to help out by spying on her friend. Sophie, of course, doesn't want to do this, but Herr Becker threatens to have her mother fired from her job, which would mean that she would be placed in a nursing home because of her disability. When Sophie and Katrina see a group of students from West Berlin on a tour in their city, they see a girl who looks almost exactly like Sophie. When asked, her mother admits that they have family in the West, and the girl she saw is her cousin Ava. This is the final straw that compels the girls to make actual plans to escape to the West. They had thought about it, but the journey is treacherous, and they didn't know how they would survive as refugees. Knowing there is family on the other side, they try to figure out ways to get across, and come up with a dangerous idea that involves engineering, a zip line, and archery. They want to take their families as well, so make the plans without telling them, to maintain as much safety as they can. In the meantime, Herr Becker is unhappy that Sophie isn't spying as much as he would like, and he also has suspicions about her activity. Will she and Katrina be able to get their families to a new life in the West?
Strengths: This is a particularly interesting point in time to set a book in East Berlin. The wall is a number of years from coming down, but has been up for Sophie's entire lifetime, and her mother was involved with Sophie Scholl's White Rose movement during WWII. The mother's reasons for being in East Berlin are solid, and rather heartbreaking. Sophie and Katrina are great friends, although they have their moments, and I loved that they had an interest in science and technology. One of my favorite parts was Katrina using a boy she liked to teach them how to shoot a bow and arrow! Taking ten people down a zip line and over the border seemed like a bit of a stretch, but an author's note describes other similar daring escapes that were successful.
Weaknesses: I could have used a few more details about daily life under the Soviets, although there are a few mentions of waiting in lines in stores and descriptions of clothing.
What I really think: There are not as many books about the Berlin Wall as I would have thought. Degens Freya on the Wall (1997), Kephart's Going Over (2014), Nielsen's A Night Divided (2015), and Nesbet's Cloud and Wallfish (2016) and the only ones I could find. This one was particularly interesting, if a bit unbelievable at times. Since this author's I Am Defiance does well, I'm definitely purchasing. Of course, the fact that Sophie is only four years older than I am gave me pause!
March 18, 2022
Thank you to the author for my gifted copy of Over and Out in exchange for an honest review.
As a middle grade language arts teacher, I am always looking for books to share with my students that feature strong characters, exciting plots, and relatable themes. This mg historical fiction book fit the bill perfectly.
Set in Communist East Berlin, protagonist Sophie works against overwhelming odds to try and escape. I loved the way the story incorporated the power of friendship and scientific thinking into the plot. The chapters are short and well paced, with lots of complicating factors for Sophie to overcome.
The suspense builds to a truly nail-biting climax. My jaw dropped at one point - which rarely if ever happens while reading. The author’s note made me teary eyed, too.
This is such a special story and I’m so excited to be able to add it to my classroom library.
Read If: you enjoy historical fiction (a la Jennifer Nielsen or Ruta Sepetys).
As a middle grade language arts teacher, I am always looking for books to share with my students that feature strong characters, exciting plots, and relatable themes. This mg historical fiction book fit the bill perfectly.
Set in Communist East Berlin, protagonist Sophie works against overwhelming odds to try and escape. I loved the way the story incorporated the power of friendship and scientific thinking into the plot. The chapters are short and well paced, with lots of complicating factors for Sophie to overcome.
The suspense builds to a truly nail-biting climax. My jaw dropped at one point - which rarely if ever happens while reading. The author’s note made me teary eyed, too.
This is such a special story and I’m so excited to be able to add it to my classroom library.
Read If: you enjoy historical fiction (a la Jennifer Nielsen or Ruta Sepetys).
March 21, 2022
A perfect read-aloud for the whole family! It kept us all engaged and sitting on the edge of our seats!
September 6, 2022
Sophie and her friend Katarina like to dream up crazy ways they could get out of East Germany for fun. They haven't gotten really serious about it because they don't have anywhere to go if they should get out, and it doesn't seem a pressing need. But when Sophie is forced to become an informant on her long time babysitter (now older friend) when she gets a job that she grumbles about (a fate Sophie dreads) and the Stasi use her disabled mom's job as leverage, Sophie starts to think more seriously about how they could really get over the wall. When Sophie and Katarina run into a girl visiting from the West one day who looks eerily similar to Sophie, they learn there might be some real hope of having a place to go. That is IF they can figure out a way out.
This is a companion book to I am Defiance. Sophie's mom is the older sister in that book. It is helpful to have read I am Defiance to fully understand all the background, but it probably isn't necessary. This was a chess game of Sophie and her family and friends versus the Stasi. Being middle grade, the tension is kept way lower than it could've been if written for YA or adults. I did like it better than the previous book in the series and thought it was fairly well done. Hand this to middle grade readers looking for a historical spy story.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. Past failed crossing attempts mentioned but not described. Some shots fired .
This is a companion book to I am Defiance. Sophie's mom is the older sister in that book. It is helpful to have read I am Defiance to fully understand all the background, but it probably isn't necessary. This was a chess game of Sophie and her family and friends versus the Stasi. Being middle grade, the tension is kept way lower than it could've been if written for YA or adults. I did like it better than the previous book in the series and thought it was fairly well done. Hand this to middle grade readers looking for a historical spy story.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. Past failed crossing attempts mentioned but not described. Some shots fired .
October 19, 2024
2024-2025 Iowa Children’s Choice Award nominee
This is my favorite ICCA book on this year’s list (so far, at least) and has been popular with 4th-6th graders, too.
Hand this to historical fiction fans and readers who enjoy books by Alan Gratz and Jennifer A. Nielsen—show the book trailer to anyone who is unconvinced!
The action starts immediately and the story is so compelling. I couldn’t stop reading and rooting for Sophie, Katarina, and their families.
I didn’t know much beyond the basics about the Cold War, Berlin Wall, etc, so this story was particularly fascinating:horrifying. I’m adding I Am Defiance to my TBR.
While the author’s note was nice, I would have appreciated additional back matter with historical facts, timelines, etc. It’s also a shame that this book isn’t available in audio, large print, Wonderbook/Playaway, etc, which would make it accessible to more readers!
This is my favorite ICCA book on this year’s list (so far, at least) and has been popular with 4th-6th graders, too.
Hand this to historical fiction fans and readers who enjoy books by Alan Gratz and Jennifer A. Nielsen—show the book trailer to anyone who is unconvinced!
The action starts immediately and the story is so compelling. I couldn’t stop reading and rooting for Sophie, Katarina, and their families.
I didn’t know much beyond the basics about the Cold War, Berlin Wall, etc, so this story was particularly fascinating:horrifying. I’m adding I Am Defiance to my TBR.
While the author’s note was nice, I would have appreciated additional back matter with historical facts, timelines, etc. It’s also a shame that this book isn’t available in audio, large print, Wonderbook/Playaway, etc, which would make it accessible to more readers!
January 20, 2025
A tale of perseverance, courage and determination as well as a good look at how an education can bring you freedom
November 12, 2025
4.2. stars
This was a really fun read. The book is historical fiction, so I learned a lot. Prior to reading this book, I didn’t even know the Berlin wall ever existed. The whole concept felt other worldly and dystopian. The writer did a great job of keeping the story interesting, considering that many historical fictions easily become boring. I really enjoyed, and the book was such a page turner. This is a perfect read for 9-12 year olds.
This was a really fun read. The book is historical fiction, so I learned a lot. Prior to reading this book, I didn’t even know the Berlin wall ever existed. The whole concept felt other worldly and dystopian. The writer did a great job of keeping the story interesting, considering that many historical fictions easily become boring. I really enjoyed, and the book was such a page turner. This is a perfect read for 9-12 year olds.
April 13, 2025
Great story!
Read
March 11, 2022This should get the middle reader's blood pumping. Twelve year old Sophie is being raised by her mom on the east side of the Berlin wall and all she thinks about is getting over the wall and out of East Berlin. She and her best friend Katarina concoct all kinds of crazy escape schemes. In the meantime, Sophie is asked/required to spy on her beloved neighbor and she discovers a secret cache of stuff under her bed. Secrets are revealed and risky escapes are planned. Will Sophie's group make it out?
November 18, 2024
I really enjoyed Jenni L. Walsh's narrative style in this novel. It's snappy and short which I think perfectly mimics the thought process of an oppressed child: both intelligent and impulsive.
The story itself was extremely engaging the entire way through and to know that it was based on a combination of real life events really helped put everything into a fresh perspective with the author's note. I'm looking forward to checking out more of her other books.
The story itself was extremely engaging the entire way through and to know that it was based on a combination of real life events really helped put everything into a fresh perspective with the author's note. I'm looking forward to checking out more of her other books.
April 8, 2023
This is a companion novel to Jenni Walsh's I Am Defiance: A Novel of WWII. Sophie is the daughter of Angelika from the previous novel set during World War II. They are now living in east Berlin, locked out of west Berlin by the Berlin Wall. Sophie and her best friend Katarina are always plotting ways they could get across the barrier, but since they have no family on the west side, it's all just talk. That is until Sophie sees a girl on a field trip from the west side who looks just like her. When she questions her mother, she learns about her aunt Brigitte and cousins. Brigitte was the main character in I Am Defiance: A Novel of WWII.
Then Sophie is tapped by the Shasi to spy on her former babysitter who is not happy about her forced job assignment at a pharmacy. If Sophie refuses, her mother, a polio survivor, will be removed from her job and sent to a nursing home. Sophie is stuck. But it all leads to the discovery of the perfect place to launch her escape plan across the dead zone into west Berlin.
This is a great historical thriller. Not being allowed to travel freely is one thing, but living under the constant threat of punishment for not toeing the line and essentially being forced to spy on people you care about is hard to believe from our western vantage point. I wish there had been a bit more description of how difficult every day life was under communism compared to democracy. The motive for wanting to get out of east Berlin wasn't thoroughly fleshed out. Kids who like books on WWII and/or the Cold War will definitely want to read this one.
Then Sophie is tapped by the Shasi to spy on her former babysitter who is not happy about her forced job assignment at a pharmacy. If Sophie refuses, her mother, a polio survivor, will be removed from her job and sent to a nursing home. Sophie is stuck. But it all leads to the discovery of the perfect place to launch her escape plan across the dead zone into west Berlin.
This is a great historical thriller. Not being allowed to travel freely is one thing, but living under the constant threat of punishment for not toeing the line and essentially being forced to spy on people you care about is hard to believe from our western vantage point. I wish there had been a bit more description of how difficult every day life was under communism compared to democracy. The motive for wanting to get out of east Berlin wasn't thoroughly fleshed out. Kids who like books on WWII and/or the Cold War will definitely want to read this one.
July 18, 2024
What I Liked:
I couldn't put this one down! I was so engrossed in Sophie's life in East Berlin...the spies, the control, the danger, the secrets! I'll admit as I was reading, I was a bit of a skeptic, thinking Walsh was possibly being a bit extreme for the sake of drama. I was surprised to read in the author's notes that most of these experiences were based on true stories from the Cold War era. Wow.
I loved Sophie's relationships with her mom and her friends throughout the story. This was obviously a time when it was hard to trust people and it was heartwarming to read about her relationships and how she decided when and how much to trust others and whether or not that trust was warranted. So many risks!
This book was a pretty quick and easy read. Always a perk when you get to learn some things about history as well.
I was cheering for Sophie the whole time and definitely felt the tension for the whole gang at the end! Highly recommend.
What I Didn't Like:
Book Promo:
4th-6th
ICCA list 2024-25
Recommend to teachers for read-aloud
Recommend to students:
Describe 2 different lifestyles...one where you can choose your job, clothing, what you read/watch, you're free to talk about your opinions, and you are responsible for your income (which may result in classes)....one where your job is assigned, you are only allowed to select from a few variations in clothing, the government censors what information you get through tv, books, news, you cannot disagree with the government, BUT the government will make sure all families have comparable income and food/necessities. Which would you choose? Why?
Introduce the Cold War time period and show students pictures of the Berlin Wall, giving just a bit of background. Share a short summary of Sophie's story to get them interested.
Also provide Jennifer Nielsen's "A Night Divided," as well as other Walsh books in the library.
I couldn't put this one down! I was so engrossed in Sophie's life in East Berlin...the spies, the control, the danger, the secrets! I'll admit as I was reading, I was a bit of a skeptic, thinking Walsh was possibly being a bit extreme for the sake of drama. I was surprised to read in the author's notes that most of these experiences were based on true stories from the Cold War era. Wow.
I loved Sophie's relationships with her mom and her friends throughout the story. This was obviously a time when it was hard to trust people and it was heartwarming to read about her relationships and how she decided when and how much to trust others and whether or not that trust was warranted. So many risks!
This book was a pretty quick and easy read. Always a perk when you get to learn some things about history as well.
I was cheering for Sophie the whole time and definitely felt the tension for the whole gang at the end! Highly recommend.
What I Didn't Like:
Book Promo:
4th-6th
ICCA list 2024-25
Recommend to teachers for read-aloud
Recommend to students:
Describe 2 different lifestyles...one where you can choose your job, clothing, what you read/watch, you're free to talk about your opinions, and you are responsible for your income (which may result in classes)....one where your job is assigned, you are only allowed to select from a few variations in clothing, the government censors what information you get through tv, books, news, you cannot disagree with the government, BUT the government will make sure all families have comparable income and food/necessities. Which would you choose? Why?
Introduce the Cold War time period and show students pictures of the Berlin Wall, giving just a bit of background. Share a short summary of Sophie's story to get them interested.
Also provide Jennifer Nielsen's "A Night Divided," as well as other Walsh books in the library.
October 12, 2023
Sophie and her best friend, Katarina, live in East Berlin, separated from family and freedom by the Berlin Wall. When Monika, Sophie's long-time babysitter, is forced to become a pharmacist instead of the teacher she dreams of being, Sophie decides that she needs to find a way for her and her mother, Katarina's family, and Monika's family must escape to West Berlin. Using the scientific method and Sophie's Inventor Box, she and Katarina hatch a plan for Escape Night. A chance encounter helps fuel the hope and being targeted by Herr Brekker of the Stasi to spy on Monika or Sophie's mother will be put in an institution fuels fear and dread. Though the book layers in the historical elements of living in East Berlin in the Cold War Regime and all the characters are unique, believable, and interesting, the book didn't hit home for me as some other historical novels have. The fact that Sophie learns when she needs adult help with her plan is a plus. Historical readers, budding scientists and inventors are likely to enjoy this book. It just wasn't for me.
February 28, 2022
I received a free copy of this book to review.
Over and Out follows a Science loving girl growing up in East Berlin trapped by the Berlin Wall and forced to follow the government’s strict enforcements. After she is blackmailed into spying on a good friend and she learns she has family in West Berlin she starts forming a plan to escape. The story is inspired by actual events.
Reading about this extremely tense situation where you always have to be careful about what you say, and where so many decisions like which profession to pursue are totally out of your hands, makes me grateful for my ability to have so many choices. This book is a real page turner and it captures the precarious nature of the time while staying appropriate and understandable for the middle grade age level. I will be passing it on to my 8 year old to read. I think it is perfect for fans of Jennifer Nielsen’s historical fiction novels.
Over and Out follows a Science loving girl growing up in East Berlin trapped by the Berlin Wall and forced to follow the government’s strict enforcements. After she is blackmailed into spying on a good friend and she learns she has family in West Berlin she starts forming a plan to escape. The story is inspired by actual events.
Reading about this extremely tense situation where you always have to be careful about what you say, and where so many decisions like which profession to pursue are totally out of your hands, makes me grateful for my ability to have so many choices. This book is a real page turner and it captures the precarious nature of the time while staying appropriate and understandable for the middle grade age level. I will be passing it on to my 8 year old to read. I think it is perfect for fans of Jennifer Nielsen’s historical fiction novels.
January 9, 2022
4.5 stars. Over and Out is such a fun and engaging read.
I loved the friendship of Sophie and Katarina. I loved learning more about life behind the Berlin Wall. I loved the author’s note and hearing how much of the story was based on actual events.
I was shocked to hear how they government used children to spy on family or friends. I’m shocked, but unfortunately not surprised that adults whose manipulate and billy the kids to spy.
This would pair well w Night Divided by Nielsen, and it would make a great classroom read aloud for 4th-7th grade.
Great book.
Some favorite quotes:
Pg15-“But us East Berliners aren’t allowed to do such things. We’re the fish. And we’ll never grow any bigger than our bowl allows.”
Pg94-“Let’s be serious. I could never make it that way either. You’ve seen me in phys ed class.”
I loved the friendship of Sophie and Katarina. I loved learning more about life behind the Berlin Wall. I loved the author’s note and hearing how much of the story was based on actual events.
I was shocked to hear how they government used children to spy on family or friends. I’m shocked, but unfortunately not surprised that adults whose manipulate and billy the kids to spy.
This would pair well w Night Divided by Nielsen, and it would make a great classroom read aloud for 4th-7th grade.
Great book.
Some favorite quotes:
Pg15-“But us East Berliners aren’t allowed to do such things. We’re the fish. And we’ll never grow any bigger than our bowl allows.”
Pg94-“Let’s be serious. I could never make it that way either. You’ve seen me in phys ed class.”
January 22, 2022
This is my very first book I’ve read by author Jenni L. Walsh. It was sent as an ARC.
The story centers around an East Germany teenager named Sophie during the Cold War.
Sophie is an inventor who wants to make it to the West to be reunited with her family and throughout the story she gets tangled up in some bad situations.
For me , this story was so good. It had a great pace and interesting characters. I do teach about East Berlin and so this book will be a really good read aloud for my students. Just enough suspense and history to make it a book that will help my students better understand what life was like during this time. A sub at our school grew up in East Berlin and he often shares what life was like for him.
I definitely recommend this book when it comes out on March 1, 2022
The story centers around an East Germany teenager named Sophie during the Cold War.
Sophie is an inventor who wants to make it to the West to be reunited with her family and throughout the story she gets tangled up in some bad situations.
For me , this story was so good. It had a great pace and interesting characters. I do teach about East Berlin and so this book will be a really good read aloud for my students. Just enough suspense and history to make it a book that will help my students better understand what life was like during this time. A sub at our school grew up in East Berlin and he often shares what life was like for him.
I definitely recommend this book when it comes out on March 1, 2022
August 4, 2024
This book, one of the SSYRA picks for 2024-2025, is fairly well plotted with great insight into the Stasi era in what was East Germany. The book features Sophie, a strong female heroine who takes on a very dangerous mission in Communist-controlled East Germany. Author Jenni L. Walsh does a good job detailing the brutality and secrecy that was rampant in East Germany after World War II, and she creates tension as the plot moves toward the resolution. Sophie must fight against threats both physical and emotional as she tries to help her family and friends find freedom from the brutal rule of the Communists.
March 7, 2022
Jenni Walsh once again writes a breathless story of defiance against the government, enabling escape from authoritarian rule.
Written for tweens and teens, the story features teenage girls, science, and lots of guts. "Over and Out" is bound to inspire readers to learn more about post WWII East Germany.
This book is perfect for book clubs and school reading programs.
It's a thrilling story about two teenage girls who use ingenuity and misdirection to help their families escape the Stazi and more importantly, escape east Germany.
Thanks to the BoookLoft of German Village (Columbus, OH) http://www.bookloft.com for an ARC to read and review.
Written for tweens and teens, the story features teenage girls, science, and lots of guts. "Over and Out" is bound to inspire readers to learn more about post WWII East Germany.
This book is perfect for book clubs and school reading programs.
It's a thrilling story about two teenage girls who use ingenuity and misdirection to help their families escape the Stazi and more importantly, escape east Germany.
Thanks to the BoookLoft of German Village (Columbus, OH) http://www.bookloft.com for an ARC to read and review.
April 1, 2022
I enjoyed Jennifer Nielsen’s book A Night Divided, so I was excited to see this middle grade book Over and Out had the same premise: life in East Germany during the time the wall was up.
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Sophie is determined to escape to the West, but she and her friend Katarina can’t figure out how to do it. The ideas they eventually come up with are based off of true events! I found this book suspenseful and thought provoking, so I know a kid would love it too.
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I also think this story would stir gratitude and historical perspective in a child. I’m interested to also read I Am Defiance from Jenni L. Walsh.
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Sophie is determined to escape to the West, but she and her friend Katarina can’t figure out how to do it. The ideas they eventually come up with are based off of true events! I found this book suspenseful and thought provoking, so I know a kid would love it too.
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I also think this story would stir gratitude and historical perspective in a child. I’m interested to also read I Am Defiance from Jenni L. Walsh.
April 1, 2022
Another page-turning gem from Jenni L. Walsh! What I continue to love from Walsh's stories is how she so vividly brings to life the determination, spirit, and ingenuity of children cast against the trials of history. Sophie's story is equally riveting and informative throughout. It reads like a modern day cat and mouse thriller while also giving incredibly insights into the difficulties of Soviet controlled East Berlin. Over and Out reads perfectly as a standalone book, but even more beautifully as a sequel to I Am Defiance. It is like Ken Follett continuity for middle-grade. I am excited for more to come from Jenni!
June 28, 2022
What a treat to have some of the same characters from the author's I AM DEFIANCE make an appearance in this book with the setting of the Berlin Wall. I didn't realize people from West Berlin had field trips to East Berlin and that west families could come over the wall and visit family members in the east.
Sophie certainly took matters into her own hands, using her ingenuity and knowledge of science to help her family escape East Berlin.
This is a book that will hook readers who love history, strong girls, and science. I'll be looking for the next historical adventures from Jenni L. Walsh.
Sophie certainly took matters into her own hands, using her ingenuity and knowledge of science to help her family escape East Berlin.
This is a book that will hook readers who love history, strong girls, and science. I'll be looking for the next historical adventures from Jenni L. Walsh.
July 8, 2022
Sophie dreams of becoming a scientist and is always inventing things with her best friend Katarina. Unfortunately Sophie lives behind the Berlin Wall in East Germany and the state will determine her career. When her neighbor Monika is assigned to work in a pharmacy instead of her choice of teaching, she draws the attention of the secret police force – the Stasi. Sophie is called to the principal’s office the next day and forced to spy on Monika or risk her polio-disabled mother being sent to prison. When Sophie and Katarina see Sophie’s doppelganger visiting from the West and learn that she was Sophie’s cousin, they begin planning their daring escape to the West.
July 26, 2024
Over and Out takes you into East Berlin to see the lives of those that are living behind the wall twelve years after it was built.
This book has it all.
Spying. Being forced to work a job (for life) that was chosen by the government, and not yourself. Sweeping your home for bugs or other listening devices. Hope for a better future (but you better not saying anything out loud because who knows who might be listening.
Above all, the desire to escape.
This is a great book to add to a classroom library or to any house that has a child that doesn't know what life might be like if they weren't allowed to make choices for themselves.
This book has it all.
Spying. Being forced to work a job (for life) that was chosen by the government, and not yourself. Sweeping your home for bugs or other listening devices. Hope for a better future (but you better not saying anything out loud because who knows who might be listening.
Above all, the desire to escape.
This is a great book to add to a classroom library or to any house that has a child that doesn't know what life might be like if they weren't allowed to make choices for themselves.
September 21, 2024
2.5 stars This book continues the story begun in "Defiance" with a focus on the Berlin wall. Again it stretches belief, due to the ages of the young heroinesm and their escape plan seems at best fantastical. The actual equipment and logistics were hard to imagine, and a bit tedious. However, the author's note indicates she based her story on some actual escapes of a similuar style!. And as dreadful as it sounds, the Stasi did recruit children under 18 as informants! I did not realize people from West Berlin could visit East Berlin, but not the other way around. This book was helpful in understanding the era.
March 18, 2025
This book is a Sunshine State Young Readers Award finalist for 2024-25.
It is written from the point of view of 12 year old Sophie who lives under the strict rules of the Stasi in East Berlin in the 1970s. Sophie and her friend, Katarina, are “Good East Berliners” at the beginning of the story. Sophie’s long time companion, Monika, has just turned 18 and is assigned to be a pharmacist, not a teacher, as she wishes to be.
This book is historical fiction based on real events. Being based in recent history, the book serves as a warning against authoritarianism. It reminds me of the utopia in The Giver. The fact that it is based on events that only ended in 1989 even more chilling.
It is written from the point of view of 12 year old Sophie who lives under the strict rules of the Stasi in East Berlin in the 1970s. Sophie and her friend, Katarina, are “Good East Berliners” at the beginning of the story. Sophie’s long time companion, Monika, has just turned 18 and is assigned to be a pharmacist, not a teacher, as she wishes to be.
This book is historical fiction based on real events. Being based in recent history, the book serves as a warning against authoritarianism. It reminds me of the utopia in The Giver. The fact that it is based on events that only ended in 1989 even more chilling.
did-not-finish
June 6, 2024This was on A Mighty Girl's summer reading list, and I really tried. I got 100 pages in and I'm just so bored. The conflict has been revealed, the ending is apparent - of course her family will escape East Germany (and I skimmed ahead to check that yes, they do) - and I just cannot seem to connect with the narrator. She just feels so flat....I'm never convinced that she's anything other than a character in a book. Too many other books on the shelf right now, so this one is going back to the library.
July 24, 2024
I was ambivalent about this when I began, but it won me over quickly. This was a homeschool booklist pre-read for me, and I was happily surprised to find a lot of discussion points and ways to connect to other subjects.
While I might not consider this to be the best literature out there, I think it will draw my children in and give us plenty to discuss and will provide us with lots of interesting rabbit trails.
While I might not consider this to be the best literature out there, I think it will draw my children in and give us plenty to discuss and will provide us with lots of interesting rabbit trails.
October 14, 2024
I was clenching my teeth so hard at the end, A very suspenseful book. And an easy read for upper elementary, it does a very good job of explaining that while lift in East Berlin is not all bad, it isn't true freedom. There wasn't a huge amount of historical background on how it got to be that way, but it's good for the level it's written for. This author is definitely a read alike for Jennifer A Nielsen and may even be a good rec for younger readers interested in history.
October 17, 2024
Love learning about this time frame in history, it’s fascinating how insane the rules and laws were in East Germany and how manipulating and scary the Stansi were. Also interesting how people tried and succeeded in escaping.
Writing wise, it was a lot of preamble for such a fast climax and then an abrupt end….. any kind of epilogue would have been nice.
Last Children Choice Nominee :)
(I did it!)
Writing wise, it was a lot of preamble for such a fast climax and then an abrupt end….. any kind of epilogue would have been nice.
Last Children Choice Nominee :)
(I did it!)
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