Wednesday is the middle of the week, which means it's time for a...
Mid-Week Middle-Grade Spotlight!
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| image from barnesandnoble.com |
Odette's Secrets
by Maryann Macdonald
Odette, the only child of foreign-born Jews living in Paris, learns to keep secrets - secrets that will save her life. After her father becomes a prisoner-of-war, her mother joins the Resistance. Gradually, living in Paris becomes more and more dangerous. After soldier raid the city in an effort to "remove Jews," she is sent to hide in plain sight in the country.
While living in the country, she keeps her religion a secret, and pretends to be Christian. At times, the lie seems real and the lines between who she really is and who she pretends to be become unclear.
This book is a quick, but profound and heart-wrenching read. Its free-verse format and child-like train of thought makes it very accessible for young, but mature readers. I gave to my nine-year-old as a good introduction to the horrors of WWII. There are other stories that cover the same time period, but this one does not show the worst of the Holocaust - it has an excellent focus on the healing and recovery of Jewish families in Paris.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the time period. I'd like to say ENJOY, but I'm not sure it's the right word for this particular title. Perhaps, APPRECIATE is the better choice.
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