• Age: 9 to 13
• Grade: 4 to 8
• Reading age: 9 to 12

It is the middle of World War II, and Gabi and her mother have been lucky so far, eluding the grasp of Nazi soldiers who are sending Jewish people away to unknown fates. But she, her mother and her young cousin, Max, realize that they will never be safe in their town. With the help of a trusted friend, a kind-hearted priest and a poor yet brave farming family, they go into hiding in a tiny mountain village.

It takes great willpower and patience to endure months of fear in their cramped hiding space at the back of a barn. But one night, Gabi and Max can't stand the confinement any longer, and they sneak out for the first of many secret nighttime walks. Deep in the forest, the children make a discovery that turns out to be very useful to the anti-Nazi partisan soldiers camped out nearby. Through their new roles as scouts for the partisans, Gabi and Max find strength and courage, and a renewed sense of hope in dark times.

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

• Commended, Canadian Children’s Book Centre Our Choice Book
• Short-listed, British Columbia Library Association – Red Cedar Award (Fiction)

"The Night Spies was a fast-paced story stuffed full of descriptions. This Holocaust novel is unlike any I have read before and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I only wish that the tale had gone o longer. I recommend it to children nine and up. 5 stars!"

KidsWWrite

"Based on a true story, The Night Spies keeps you reading chapter after chapter, wondering if the children will get caught during their nightly outings and whether the information they discover will help the partisans bring down the Nazis. While it’s a sad time, Night Spies brings history alive while celebrating friendship and adventure."

North York Mirror

"The Night Spies is the third book in the Holocaust Remembrance Series for Young Readers, and a worthy companion to the first two. Simply yet vividly, the author depicts the hardship and fear which inevitably permeated every facet of Jewish life in Czechoslovakia in 1944. In doing so, she enables her readers to understand more about events which must never be forgotten. Recommended."

The London Community News

"Kacer bases this story, like its predecessor (The Secret of Gabi's Dresser), on her mother’s real life, though with some changes, and this intersection of truth and fiction makes the story compelling and poignant.Kacer’s style has become more sophisticated here, producing a more textured narrative and more complex characters, including several who are morally ambiguous. Neatly presenting the complexity of the situation and of human nature to audiences aged 8 to 11, the narrative is simple but never simplistic. The photographs, Second World War history, and detailed chronology that Kacer includes give readers a helpful context for understanding the narrative, and make the book an excellent educational tool as well as an engaging read."

Quill & Quire