Hidden on the High Wire

by Kathy Kacer

Overview

Irene grew up traveling around Germany with her family’s circus, surrounded by her loved ones and thrilling the crowds with her performance on the high wire...until one day, the audience boos. The Lorch family is Jewish, and the increasing power of Adolf Hitler’s Nazis has put them all in grave danger.

When the circus is forced to shut down and Irene’s father is taken away, Irene and her mother must go into hiding with another circus. Every day is a frightening new kind of balancing act, caught between the desire to perform and the need to hide—even in plain sight.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781772602517
Publisher:	Second Story Press
Publication date:	09/27/2022
Series:	The Holocaust Remembrance Series for Young Readers , #20
Pages:	216
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.25(d)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Kathy Kacer’s books have won a number of awards, including the Silver Birch and the Jewish Book Award. A former psychologist, Kathy now travels the globe speaking to children and adults about the importance of keeping the memory of the Holocaust alive. Kathy lives in Toronto with her family.

Editorial Reviews

Though touched by plenty of tragedy, this is a more uplifting Holocaust tale than most ... A timely reminder of the power of kindness and generosity during antagonistic times.”

Booklist - Julia Smith

"Buzzing with tensions both pronounced and implied, this true tale highlights defiant circus settings and the leaders who worked to keep their spaces fair…Irene’s is a sobering story, and young readers will benefit from the truths that it reveals—including about the bravery that’s required to do what’s right. Hidden on the High Wire is a fast, conscientious Holocaust story."

Michelle Anne Schingler

"A touching story that reminds readers even in war we can find compassion."

Calgary Herald

"This book is an entertaining and educational story, engaging both in the historical storyline and the descriptions of the circus life. The reader can feel the tension, fear, and bravery involved both in walking on the high wire and living through the hate and threats of the Holocaust."

Sydney Taylor Shmooze - Merle Eisman Carrus

"The CJN’s book columnist talks to author Kathy Kacer about how to write about the Holocaust for younger audiences and the true story of a Jewish circus performer."

The Canadian Jewish News - Hannah Srour-Zackon

2022-08-31
A young Jewish high-wire walker faces the dangers of Nazi Germany.

Thirteen-year-old Irene Danner is a proud member of the Lorch Family Circus, founded by her Jewish great-great-grandfather, but even though Irene’s non-Jewish father is now listed as the owner, the Nazi law forbidding Jews to work causes it to close. Irene’s father is drafted into the army; Irene, her mother, and her grandmother go to live in a small town, living quietly to escape the eyes of possible persecutors. But when Irene’s grandmother is dragged away from the public market and taken to a concentration camp, Irene’s peace is shattered, and she approaches Althoff Circus, another German circus, which agrees to let her hide in plain sight—back on the high wire. Loosely based on the life of the real historical figure Irene Danner, with some significant differences, the novel shines an interesting light on Jewish-owned circuses, Jewish circus performers, and their plight during the Second World War. Unfortunately, Kacer never quite conveys the athleticism and talent required to be part of a circus—for example, after not practicing for nearly two years, Irene still performs her routine flawlessly on the first attempt. The characters lack nuance and never seem fully developed; Kacer relies too much on dialogue for exposition and tells emotions rather than showing them.

A superficial treatment of an exciting true-life story. (author’s notes) (Historical fiction. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews