The Night Spies

Gabi Klein #2

by Kathy Kacer

It is the middle of WWII; Gabi, her mother and her cousin, Max, go into hiding. Unable to stand their cramped hiding space, Gabi and Max go on secret walks and discover information that is useful to the anti-Nazi partisan soldiers camped out nearby.

200 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2003

About the author

Kathy Kacer was born in Toronto and has lived there all her life (with the exception of three years in New Brunswick). She has a Master’s degree in Psychology and worked for many years with troubled teens and their families. She stopped working full time in 1995 to pursue her dream of becoming a children’s author. That dream came true with the publication of her first book, The Secret of Gabi’s Dresser, in 1999. She has been writing ever since.

Her parents were both survivors of the Holocaust. Her mother survived the war in hiding; her father was a survivor of the concentration camps. Their stories of survival were an inspiration to Kathy as she was growing up. As an adult, she was determined to write their stories and pass them on to young readers. She went on to write more than twenty books, all focused on the Holocaust. These books include The Night Spies, The Diary of Laura’s Twin, To Hope and Back, Hiding Edith, the Whispers series, and The Magician of Auschwitz. Many of her books have won awards in Canada, the United States, and Israel. Her books have been sold in over twenty countries around the world.

In addition to writing, Kathy teaches at the University of Toronto (Continuing Studies). She also speaks to children in schools and libraries around the world about the importance of understanding the Holocaust and keeping its memory alive. In addition, she lectures in universities and colleges on the topic of teaching sensitive material to young children.

She is married and has two children, Gabi and Jake. Both children share her family’s love of stories.

Reviews

[Alida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exciting WW2 book for children based on the author's family history.

[penelopewanders]

For some reason I was convinced I had already written a review of this. I ordered it thinking it might be a good book to read with my EFL advanced class working on the theme of WWII. I have some great books with female heroines and am still looking for a winner with a male main character. This is actually mixed, and the main male figure, Max, is rather naughty and younger than I would wish for my age group. I don't think the older teenage boys in my class would identify with him. I was a bit dismayed to realize this is the second in a series, and will probably read the first at some point, although it seems that main character will be Gabi. The good news is that it seems this is a partly true story, and the students greatly appreciate that. Right now we've just begun Behind the Bedroom Wall, by Laura E. Williams - it has been a good choice in the past, we'll see how this group reacts.

[Miss Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

gr 4-7 180pgs


1944 Olsavica, Czechoslovakia. 14 year old Gabi, her cousin Max, and Gabi's mother have been forced to hide to avoid being sent to a concentration camp. The Mr. Kos, who used to work for Gabi's dad, lives in a tiny mountain village have agreed to hide them in his barn. After months of hiding in the barn, Max and Gabi are so bored they start taking walks at night despite the danger. On their walks, they find a group of partisans who are fighting against the Nazis. Max and Gabi want more than anything to find a way to help them.

Based on the WWII experiences of the author's mother. I would recommend this story to readers who like adventure stories.

[James Weisman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very good book. It was full of suspense, and many surprises waiting around the corner. I really enjoyed reading this book, and I hope to find the other books written by Kathy Kacer.

[Marianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another look at victims of the holocaust. Jewish children must hide in a barn in Slovakia. Based on true story.

[Zia]

I actually had to read this book for school and I thought it was really enjoyable. It also had a some what happy ending unlike all the other Holocaust books I have read in the past.

[Aide au lecteur Drummondville]

Pendant l’hiver 1944, Gabi, sa mère et son cousin Max tentent désespérément de survivre. Pour fuir la terreur nazie, ils gagnent les montagnes reculées du nord de la Tchécoslovaquie. Dans un petit village où personne ne les connaît, sauf l’ancien ouvrier de la famille de Gabi qui a accepté de les recueillir, les fugitifs espèrent trouver protection et sécurité en restant cachés dans un grenier. Mais comment vivre à trois dans un espace de six pieds de large, six pieds de long et quatre pieds de haut?