Young Adult Fiction — Review

The Diary of Laura’s Twin

By Kathy Kacer
Second Story Press, 2008
ISBN 978-1-897187-39-5
www.secondstorypress.com

This novel about the horrors of the holocaust is for readers age 9 to 13. In The Diary of Laura’s Twin, twelve-year-old Laura is about to celebrate her Bat Mitzvah—the coming of age ceremony for Jewish girls. In preparation for this event, Laura’s rabbi asks her to read the diary of a young girl named Sara who lived in the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw during World War II. This “twinning” project, which is in practice today, hopes to help young people keep alive the memory of the children who never had the chance to celebrate their adulthood. Laura is reluctant at first to take on another assignment in her already hectic schedule, but soon she is drawn into Sara’s story, and her growing understanding helps her take a stand against wrong-doing in her own community. Author’s Notes provide factual information.

Return to Book Review List