Gerta's family is split. Gerta, Gerta's mom, and one of Gerta's brothers are on the east side, and Gerta's dad and Gerta's other brother are on the west side. The wall divides them. Earlier that week, Gerta's brother and dad went over to the west side to look for work, but the wall went up before they could get back, dividing their family. People try to escape from the west, but the soldiers are not afraid to kill. Even after its been up for a year, Gerta still finds herself staring at the wall, wishing she was on the other side. One day when she was walking to school, Gerta sees her brother and dad for the first time since the wall went up. Her dad does a silly dance they used to do together, but he keeps emphasizing on the "dig" part. After other clues come, Gerta concludes that her dad wants her to tunnel across to the west side, along with her mom and brother. But the bloodthirsty soldiers could very well end Gerta's life, so the risk is huge. But since this is her only chance to get across. Gerta and her brother Fritz try to tunnel their way to freedom, with many challenges and consequences along the way. This page turning book will keep your heart beating, and you can really feel Gerta's emotions. I love this book SO MUCH, and I know you will too. I recommend this book to boys and girls ages 9+.