Kathy Kacer facts for kids

Kathy Kacer (born September 6, 1954) is a Canadian writer and illustrator. She writes many books for children and young adults. Her stories are often about The Holocaust, which was a very difficult time in history when many Jewish people faced terrible persecution.

Kathy Kacer has won several awards for her books. Her stories have also been translated into many different languages, like German and Japanese. Besides writing, she talks to kids about the Holocaust. She also helps teachers learn how to talk about sensitive topics with young students.

About Kathy Kacer

Kathy Kacer's parents, Gabriela and Arthur Kacer, were both Jewish survivors of the Holocaust. Her father was held in a concentration camp, and her mother had to hide to stay safe.

Kathy was born in Toronto, Canada, where she still lives today. She is married to Ian Epstein and they have two children, Gabi and Jake Epstein. Before becoming a full-time writer in 1998, Kathy worked with teenagers who were having a tough time. She has a master's degree in psychology.

Awards and Special Mentions

Kathy Kacer's books have received many important awards:

• In 2008, she won the National Jewish Book Award for her book The Diary of Laura's Twin.
• In 2009, The Diary of Laura's Twin also won the Youth award from the Canadian Jewish Book Awards.
• Also in 2009, she received the Yad Vashem Award for Children's Holocaust Literature for Hiding Edith.
• Her books have been finalists for the Norma Fleck Award multiple times, including The Underground Reporters (2005), Hiding Edith (2006), and Whispers from the Ghetto (2010).
• She has also won many awards from different provinces and been shortlisted for others.

Kathy Kacer's Books

Kathy Kacer writes both fiction (made-up stories) and nonfiction (true stories) for young readers.

Fiction Books for Kids

• The Secret of Gabi's Dresser (1999, Second Story Press)

This story is based on her mother's real experiences of hiding in a dresser or cupboard during the Holocaust.

• Night Spies (2003, Second Story Press)

This book is a follow-up story to The Secret of Gabi's Dresser.

• Clara's War (2001, Second Story Press)

This book is based on true stories about an opera called Brundibár. This opera was performed by children in the Theresienstadt camp.

• The Diary of Laura's Twin (2008, Second Story Press)

In this book, a modern-day Jewish girl connects with a girl her age from the Warsaw Ghetto through a diary.

• Margit series (Our Canadian Girl series, Penguin Books Canada)

These books tell the story of Margit, a girl who fled from the Nazis in Czechoslovakia to Canada with her mother.

• Home Free
• A Bit of Love and a Bit of Luck
• Open Your Doors
• A Friend in Need

Nonfiction Books for Kids

• The Underground Reporters (2004, Toronto: Second Story Press)

This book is about a group of Jewish children hiding in Czechoslovakia. They created their own secret newspaper called Klepy.

• Hiding Edith (2006, Second Story Press)

This is the true story of Edith Schwab and other Jewish children. They were hidden and protected in a French village during the war.

• To Hope and Back: The Journey of the St. Louis (2010, Second Story)

This book tells the story of the 1939 voyage of the MS St. Louis. It was a ship carrying German Jewish refugees who were turned away from Cuba, the US, and Canada.

• Whispers trilogy, co-written with Sharon McKay

These three books share personal stories from the time of the Holocaust.

• Whispers from the Ghettos (2009, Puffin Canada)
• Whispers from the Camps (2009, Puffin Canada)
• Whispers in Hiding (2010, Puffin Canada)

• We Are Their Voice: Young people respond to the Holocaust (2011, Second Story)
• Shanghai Escape (2014, Second Story)
• The Magician of Auschwitz (2014, Second Story)

Books for Grown-ups

• Restitution: A family's fight for their heritage lost in the Holocaust