Silence can be powerful.

Kathy Kacer’s second book in her middle grade series about heroic rescues during WWII tells the tale of siblings Helen and Henry, and history’s most famous mime. Desperate to save them from the Nazis, Henry and Helen’s mother makes the harrowing decision to take her children from their home in 1940s Germany and leave them in the care of strangers in France. The brother and sister must hide their Jewish identity to pass for orphans being fostered at a convent in the foreign land. Visits from a local mime become the children’s one source of joy, especially for Henry, whose traumatic experience has left him a selective mute. When an informer gives them up, the children are forced to flee yet again from the Nazis, but this time the local mime—a not yet famous Marcel Marceau—risks everything to try to save the children.

Masters of Silence shows award-winning author Kathy Kacer at the top of her craft, bringing to light the little-known story of Marceau’s heroic work for the French Resistance. Marceau would go on to save hundreds of children from Nazi concentration camps and death during WWII. In characteristic Kacer style, Masters of Silence is dramatic and engaging, and highlights the courage of both those rescuing and the rescued themselves. Wenting Li’s chapter heading illustrations and evocative covers provide the perfect visuals for the series.

Kathy Kacer est une auteure primée qui a écrit de nombreux livres sur l'holocauste pour les jeunes lecteurs, dont The Magician of Auschwitz, L'histoire d'Edith, Le journal de Sara et Les espions de la nuit. Elle s'estime honorée de contribuer à faire connaître l'histoire familiale de Jenny Kay Dupuis. Kathy vit avec sa famille à Toronto.

Kathy Kacer has won many awards for her writing, including the American Jewish Library Association Award. In 1999, she wrote the first book in Second Story's Holocaust Remembrance Series, The Secret of Gabi's Dresser. Since then, she's penned four other books in the series. Kacer now writes about the Holocaust for young readers and travels the country speaking about it. Kacer lives in Toronto, Ontario, with her family.

Kathy Kacer's profile page

Gabi Epstein is a DORA Award winner and one of Canada's leading stage and cabaret performers best known for playing Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors with the Stratford Festival and Fanny Brice in Funny Girl with the Segal Centre/Harold Green Jewish Theatre. She has narrated 9 audiobooks to date including To Look A Nazi in the Eye, Hiding Edith, The Brushmaker's Daughter, and Restitution- by Kathy Kacer (for ORCA), and Broken Strings- by Kathy Kacer, He Must Like You- by Danielle Younge-Ullman, Nothing the Same, Everything Haunted- by Gary Barwin, and The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family- by Sarah Kapit (for Penguin Random House).

Other theatrical credits include Once (Mirvish Productions-- DORA AWARD Ensemble/Production), Billy Elliot (Stratford), Fiddler on the Roof (Stage West/Capitol Theatre), Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Candide, Dani Girl (TIFT), The Sound of Music, Blood Brothers, Perfect Wedding (Drayton), City of Angels (Theatre by the Bay), To Life (HGJT-- DORA AWARD Nomination for Outstanding Performance), and Edges(Musical Stage Co.). Gabi’s debut CD Show Off is available on Spotify and iTunes and her infamous Gabarets have been performed all over North America garnering her praise such as “Best Cabaret of the Year” by the Times Square Chronicles in NYC. She and her husband Jeremy are the co-founders of “The New Local: Dine In, Sing Out!” which partners with local restaurants to provide live virtual dinner & show events.

Gabi Epstein's profile page

• Commended, Sydney Taylor Book Awards, Notable Book, Association of Jewish Libraries
• Short-listed, Vine Award

“A harrowing, gut-wrenching tale and a heartfelt homage to a quiet hero.” — Kirkus Reviews

“This well-crafted novel with its compelling, sympathetic characters is an excellent addition to most school and public library historical fiction collections.” — School Library Journal

“Those who love historical fiction should find this perspective enjoyable.” — Booklist

“Kacer is a master of plot and emotion.” — American Jewish Library News & Reviews