Excerpt

Sara was silent as she trudged after Peter on the walk to the inn. Had she really come all this way just to be told she would have to leave? No, Doctor Pearlman hadn’t just asked her to leave. He had practically ordered her away. It made no sense. Sara knew that there was more to discover and that this doctor had more information than he was willing to share. Why else would he have become so unsettled and abrupt, turning on her for no reason she could comprehend? What was it that he was hiding? She had no idea how she was going to discover that.

Awards and Reviews

2016 - CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens

"A moving story with a likeable protagonist." —Jewish Book Council, June 27, 2016

"Kacer's comparison of healthy and unhealthy relationships may resonate with some readers, as will her themes of survival." —School Library Journal, November 1, 2015

"By introducing a protagonist with no perceived connection to Judaism, Kacer skilfully develops the reach and complexity of the Holocaust while offering the reader plausible situations which examine questions that are difficult to ask. Kacer's innate sense of balance and goodness inform her story in a way that allows the reader enough room to either consider or reconsider attitudes and opinions, or perhaps discover a whole new dimension of experience." —Resource Links, October 1, 2015

"The time period covered is not often explored in young adult fiction with Germany as the setting, and characters who are from the generation directly following the Holocaust have their own stories to tell. A sweet, supporting cast bolsters Sara's difficult journey in this novel that will tie into the stories of the six other older girls at the orphanage." —VOYA, October 1, 2015

"A compelling storyline." —VOYA, Teen Reviewer, October 1, 2015

"A deeply moving story about the innate human longing to know where one comes from and about the power of love and forgiveness to overcome any darkness. The plot flows smoothly, and characters are well developed, given the brevity of the novel. This title would make a beneficial addition to a high school curriculum as a supplementary resource to teachings about World War II. Highly Recommended." —CM Magazine, September 4, 2015

"Secrets can hide painful truths, as a young woman learns in this novel...The story offers an unusual glimpse into a Germany just one generation past the Holocaust and only beginning to deal with its repercussions. Part of the interconnected Secrets series, the novel is a quick, easy read about a little-known period." —Kirkus Reviews, July 15, 2015