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Heroes Quartet #2
Masters of Silence
Kathy Kacer’s second book in her middle grade series about heroic rescues during WWII tells the tale of siblings Helen and Henry, and history’s most famous mime. Desperate to save them from the Nazis, Henry and Helen’s mother makes the harrowing decision to take her children from their home in 1940s Germany and leave them in the care of strangers in France. The brother and sister must hide their Jewish identity to pass for orphans being fostered at a convent in the foreign land. Visits from a local mime become the children’s one source of joy, especially for Henry, whose traumatic experience has left him a selective mute. When an informer gives them up, the children are forced to flee yet again from the Nazis, but this time the local mime―a not yet famous Marcel Marceau―risks everything to try to save the children. Masters of Silence shows award-winning author Kathy Kacer at the top of her craft, bringing to light the little-known story of Marceau’s heroic work for the French Resistance. Marceau would go on to save hundreds of children from Nazi concentration camps and death during WWII. In characteristic Kacer style, Masters of Silence is dramatic and engaging, and highlights the courage of both those rescuing and the rescued themselves. Wenting Li’s chapter heading illustrations and evocative covers provide the perfect visuals for the series.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published March 12, 2019
4 people are currently reading
170 people want to read
About the author
Kathy Kacer
48 books55 followersKathy 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
August 16, 2025
What stood out to me:
The efforts the nuns took to ensure the safety of these Jewish refugee children, at great risk to themselves.
The efforts the nuns took to ensure the safety of these Jewish refugee children, at great risk to themselves.
April 5, 2019
Sometimes, silence can speak louder than words as this novel about the world-famous mime Marcel Marceau shows.
Late one night siblings Helen, 14, and ten-year-old Henry Rosenthal arrive with their mother at a convent in the south of France, having clandestinely traveled there from their home in Kronberg, not far from Frankfurt, Germany. Their father had been arrested on Kristallnacht, and they have had no news of him for over a year now. Frau Rosenthal could hid with a Catholic family, posing as a servant for safety, but not the children and so they have journeyed to France, to a convent that was taking in Jewish children.
After their mother leaves to return to Germany in the hope of one day being reunited with her husband, Helen and Henry have their names changed to more French sounding names. Their new names are Claire and Andre Rochette. They are expected to assimilate into life at the convent and to be very careful about guarding who they and the other children really are, because as Mère Supérieure tells them "There can be no mistakes here...The safety of every child in this convent - the safety of us all- depends on each one of us." (pg. 37-8)
Fortunately both children speak French fluently, and though she misses her parents terribly, Helen begins to adjust to her new life, making friends with the other girls in her dormitory and a boy named Albert. For the most part, she likes the nuns, especially Sister Cecile but has particular difficulty with Sister Agnes, whom it seems Helen can never please and is given punishments for even the merest of reasons.
Henry, on the other hand, withdraws into silence as soon as his mother leaves, refusing to speak to anyone. He spends his time writing in a small notebook he had been given by Sister Cecile, who said that "maybe if he didn't want to talk, he could use it as a diary and write down his thoughts and feelings." (pg 41-2) The first thing he writes is his real name in big letters followed by a Jewish star, clearly in an attempt not to surrender his identity.
Helen is told that sometimes a clown named Marcel Marceau comes to the convent to entertain the children and they all look forward to his visits. And like Henry, the clown doesn't speak while he is performing his show. When the clown finally does come, Henry is immediately drawn to him and the way he can make himself understood without words. Henry begins staying after the shows, learning some of Marcel's miming mannerisms. A bond forms between them and they are soon able to silently communicate with each other.
But after a disastrous visit to the nearby village, where Helen and Henry are confronted by Nazi soldiers, life becomes increasingly dangerous at the convent. When one of the nuns is arrested, it is decided that the children need to be evacuated to Switzerland and safety, a few at a time. On the night that Helen, Henry, and Albert are scheduled to leave for the Swiss border, Marcel shows up to lead the way. It turns out the the clown is also a member of the French Resistance, who has been guiding people to the border all along by pretending to be a Scoutmaster. But as the Nazi danger grows, the trips are more and more perilous. Will they be successful escaping from France?
Masters of Silence is book 2 in Kacer's Heroes Quartet, the first book of which was The Sound of Freedom. And like Book 1, this is a fictionalized story that has its basis in fact - as a teenager, Marcel Marceau was indeed a member of the French Resistance and helped save Jewish children by bringing them to the Swiss border and providing them with forged papers and identity cards.
Masters of Silence is told in the third person, with points of view alternating between Helen and Henry. While is it is not an action-packed novel in the traditional sense, it is a nail-biting, tension-filled story that demonstrates the dangers and the fears that Jews were subjected to under Nazi domination, as well as the strength of one's sense of who they are, and that Jewish identity may be suppressed for safety's but it can never be destroyed.
Helen is certainly a sympathetic character but is it Henry who really pulled on my heartstrings. Locked in his silence, angry, afraid, and traumatized, Henry learns how to communicate his feelings without using words, with the help of Marcel, and in the end, using what he has learned, he transforms into a courageous hero.
This is another excellent novel by Kathy Kacer, one that informs readers of another important yet relatively unknown WWII hero. Be sure to read Kacer's biography of Marcel Marceau in the back matter.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an EARC gratefully received from NetGalley and Annick Press
Late one night siblings Helen, 14, and ten-year-old Henry Rosenthal arrive with their mother at a convent in the south of France, having clandestinely traveled there from their home in Kronberg, not far from Frankfurt, Germany. Their father had been arrested on Kristallnacht, and they have had no news of him for over a year now. Frau Rosenthal could hid with a Catholic family, posing as a servant for safety, but not the children and so they have journeyed to France, to a convent that was taking in Jewish children.
After their mother leaves to return to Germany in the hope of one day being reunited with her husband, Helen and Henry have their names changed to more French sounding names. Their new names are Claire and Andre Rochette. They are expected to assimilate into life at the convent and to be very careful about guarding who they and the other children really are, because as Mère Supérieure tells them "There can be no mistakes here...The safety of every child in this convent - the safety of us all- depends on each one of us." (pg. 37-8)
Fortunately both children speak French fluently, and though she misses her parents terribly, Helen begins to adjust to her new life, making friends with the other girls in her dormitory and a boy named Albert. For the most part, she likes the nuns, especially Sister Cecile but has particular difficulty with Sister Agnes, whom it seems Helen can never please and is given punishments for even the merest of reasons.
Henry, on the other hand, withdraws into silence as soon as his mother leaves, refusing to speak to anyone. He spends his time writing in a small notebook he had been given by Sister Cecile, who said that "maybe if he didn't want to talk, he could use it as a diary and write down his thoughts and feelings." (pg 41-2) The first thing he writes is his real name in big letters followed by a Jewish star, clearly in an attempt not to surrender his identity.
Helen is told that sometimes a clown named Marcel Marceau comes to the convent to entertain the children and they all look forward to his visits. And like Henry, the clown doesn't speak while he is performing his show. When the clown finally does come, Henry is immediately drawn to him and the way he can make himself understood without words. Henry begins staying after the shows, learning some of Marcel's miming mannerisms. A bond forms between them and they are soon able to silently communicate with each other.
But after a disastrous visit to the nearby village, where Helen and Henry are confronted by Nazi soldiers, life becomes increasingly dangerous at the convent. When one of the nuns is arrested, it is decided that the children need to be evacuated to Switzerland and safety, a few at a time. On the night that Helen, Henry, and Albert are scheduled to leave for the Swiss border, Marcel shows up to lead the way. It turns out the the clown is also a member of the French Resistance, who has been guiding people to the border all along by pretending to be a Scoutmaster. But as the Nazi danger grows, the trips are more and more perilous. Will they be successful escaping from France?
Masters of Silence is book 2 in Kacer's Heroes Quartet, the first book of which was The Sound of Freedom. And like Book 1, this is a fictionalized story that has its basis in fact - as a teenager, Marcel Marceau was indeed a member of the French Resistance and helped save Jewish children by bringing them to the Swiss border and providing them with forged papers and identity cards.
Masters of Silence is told in the third person, with points of view alternating between Helen and Henry. While is it is not an action-packed novel in the traditional sense, it is a nail-biting, tension-filled story that demonstrates the dangers and the fears that Jews were subjected to under Nazi domination, as well as the strength of one's sense of who they are, and that Jewish identity may be suppressed for safety's but it can never be destroyed.
Helen is certainly a sympathetic character but is it Henry who really pulled on my heartstrings. Locked in his silence, angry, afraid, and traumatized, Henry learns how to communicate his feelings without using words, with the help of Marcel, and in the end, using what he has learned, he transforms into a courageous hero.
This is another excellent novel by Kathy Kacer, one that informs readers of another important yet relatively unknown WWII hero. Be sure to read Kacer's biography of Marcel Marceau in the back matter.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an EARC gratefully received from NetGalley and Annick Press
March 24, 2019
MY THOUGHTS:
I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This is a middle-grade historical fiction novel. Kathy Kacer is the award-winning author of more than 20 children’s books inspired by real events. She lives in Toronto, Canada.
The subject of WWII and the plight of the Jews must be told over and over again. It’s message cannot die down and be forgotten. The suffering during the Holocaust for Jewish adults and their children is a heart-wrenching time in our human history. The atrocities committed against them must never be forgotten out of fear of history repeating itself.
The story is about a family whose father has already been seized by the Nazis and a mother being helped and hidden by a Catholic family who are unable to help the children.
POV shifts between each children, Henry and Helen, who are hidden in a French convent and are safe for a time enjoying the visits of Marcel Marceaux, France’s famous mime turned hero because of his being ecretly part of the French Resistance. When the children’s true identity is given up, Marceaux helps to get the children to Switzerland before they are captured.
The story pushes forward at an excellent pace. Each child’s character is developed perfectly and gives a very realistic appearance to their personalities. Their interactions with Marceaux are well-imagined.
I think because of content this book would be appropriate for children ages eight to thirteen, no younger. I also think this book should be included in every school library. It’s sad to read but still it should be read and discussed. It’s full of strength and hope when darkness was all consuming.
I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This is a middle-grade historical fiction novel. Kathy Kacer is the award-winning author of more than 20 children’s books inspired by real events. She lives in Toronto, Canada.
The subject of WWII and the plight of the Jews must be told over and over again. It’s message cannot die down and be forgotten. The suffering during the Holocaust for Jewish adults and their children is a heart-wrenching time in our human history. The atrocities committed against them must never be forgotten out of fear of history repeating itself.
The story is about a family whose father has already been seized by the Nazis and a mother being helped and hidden by a Catholic family who are unable to help the children.
POV shifts between each children, Henry and Helen, who are hidden in a French convent and are safe for a time enjoying the visits of Marcel Marceaux, France’s famous mime turned hero because of his being ecretly part of the French Resistance. When the children’s true identity is given up, Marceaux helps to get the children to Switzerland before they are captured.
The story pushes forward at an excellent pace. Each child’s character is developed perfectly and gives a very realistic appearance to their personalities. Their interactions with Marceaux are well-imagined.
I think because of content this book would be appropriate for children ages eight to thirteen, no younger. I also think this book should be included in every school library. It’s sad to read but still it should be read and discussed. It’s full of strength and hope when darkness was all consuming.
September 16, 2019
Henry and Helen Rosenthal are brought to a convent in Southern France when their father is rounded up by the Nazis in their native Germany, and their mother determines that this may be the only way to keep them safe. The children are given new identities and the Sisters do their very best to protect the children in their care, all of whom are Jewish refugees.
Helen and Henry are deeply affected by everything they’ve experienced, so much so that Henry becomes mute and saves all of his deepest anxieties for his notebook which proves problematic. The children embrace convent life and the nuns do their best – even providing some comic respite from a mime named Marcel Marceau.
In the direct, clear style that she is known for Kathy Kacer creates a tense, believable story about the heroic work that renowned mime artist Marcel Marceau undertook as part of the French Resistance during World War II.
When the children are deemed to be no longer safe at the convent, Marceau physically leads them on a journey to Switzerland where they can live safely as Jews. It is a harrowing, gut-wrenching hike in the dark of night through treacherous terrain, and the reader is held hostage to the end wondering whether the small group will make the journey successfully.
In 2001, Marcel Marceau received the Raoul Wallenberg Medal in recognition of his acts of courage aiding Jews during the Second World War. This book is a tribute to his work and a worthy addition to any collection that is built to educate young people about the Holocaust. It is the second in The Heroes Quartet series.
Helen and Henry are deeply affected by everything they’ve experienced, so much so that Henry becomes mute and saves all of his deepest anxieties for his notebook which proves problematic. The children embrace convent life and the nuns do their best – even providing some comic respite from a mime named Marcel Marceau.
In the direct, clear style that she is known for Kathy Kacer creates a tense, believable story about the heroic work that renowned mime artist Marcel Marceau undertook as part of the French Resistance during World War II.
When the children are deemed to be no longer safe at the convent, Marceau physically leads them on a journey to Switzerland where they can live safely as Jews. It is a harrowing, gut-wrenching hike in the dark of night through treacherous terrain, and the reader is held hostage to the end wondering whether the small group will make the journey successfully.
In 2001, Marcel Marceau received the Raoul Wallenberg Medal in recognition of his acts of courage aiding Jews during the Second World War. This book is a tribute to his work and a worthy addition to any collection that is built to educate young people about the Holocaust. It is the second in The Heroes Quartet series.
October 1, 2019
A wonderful easy to read in third person genre and I do like to read from this point of view because I tend to connect with the characters!
This book is also geared more towards the middle grade and YA
The author has done a fabulous job in telling the story in this book. Their thoughts, fear and yes sometimes silence comes to me through this delightful book.
The plot is well written and the supporting characters were just well interesting! This book made for a sweet afternoon of reading. I couldn't put it down until it was finished and I as I was reading I wondered what I would do if I were in the children's Henry and Helen's situation.
I think it was terrible to hide your identity but I'm guessing that you had to in order to survive the war.
I'm glad that the author portrayed the Nuns as real people but then to me everyone in the story was real!
I wanted to reach through the book and hug Henry and Helen even tho she had it just a tad easier. I wanted to tell them that it would be ok and that God was watching over them and protecting them even though I knew it would have been hard to believe it.
I recommend this book for anyone who loves history and even adults can read this.
I like a change up every now and then and this satisfied my appetite for the moment
My thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book. NO compensations were received and all opinions are my own
This book is also geared more towards the middle grade and YA
The author has done a fabulous job in telling the story in this book. Their thoughts, fear and yes sometimes silence comes to me through this delightful book.
The plot is well written and the supporting characters were just well interesting! This book made for a sweet afternoon of reading. I couldn't put it down until it was finished and I as I was reading I wondered what I would do if I were in the children's Henry and Helen's situation.
I think it was terrible to hide your identity but I'm guessing that you had to in order to survive the war.
I'm glad that the author portrayed the Nuns as real people but then to me everyone in the story was real!
I wanted to reach through the book and hug Henry and Helen even tho she had it just a tad easier. I wanted to tell them that it would be ok and that God was watching over them and protecting them even though I knew it would have been hard to believe it.
I recommend this book for anyone who loves history and even adults can read this.
I like a change up every now and then and this satisfied my appetite for the moment
My thanks to Netgalley for a review copy of this book. NO compensations were received and all opinions are my own
February 13, 2019
Set in Europe during World War II, Masters of Silence tells the story of two Jewish children. Father had already been taken by the Nazis and Mother was being taken care of by a Catholic family but they couldn’t keep the children. Mother takes the children to a Catholic orphanage in a distant city and says good bye. The children are given new names and new identities. Marcel Marceau comes to the orphanage to entertain the children. It is eventually revealed that he is a member of the French Resistance and in the end, helps the children escape to Switzerland.
The Holocaust is part of author Kathy Kacer’s personal history. Both of her parents are survivors of that horrible time in history. Masters of Silence is the second book in her Heroes Quartet series about World War II. In this title, she uses the two children as alternating perspectives. Each chapter is headed with the name of the child the chapter focuses on. With both a boy and girl main character, the book could be appropriate for any child in grades 4-7.
The book is well-written – the characters seem to be real people. If you are looking for more World War II / Holocaust books for your late elementary or middle school library, I recommend you take a look at Masters of Silence.
I want to thank Annick Press for the complimentary advanced reading copy of this book.
The Holocaust is part of author Kathy Kacer’s personal history. Both of her parents are survivors of that horrible time in history. Masters of Silence is the second book in her Heroes Quartet series about World War II. In this title, she uses the two children as alternating perspectives. Each chapter is headed with the name of the child the chapter focuses on. With both a boy and girl main character, the book could be appropriate for any child in grades 4-7.
The book is well-written – the characters seem to be real people. If you are looking for more World War II / Holocaust books for your late elementary or middle school library, I recommend you take a look at Masters of Silence.
I want to thank Annick Press for the complimentary advanced reading copy of this book.
July 25, 2019
This is the second of Kacer's planned quartet of children's historical fiction about lesser known heroes of World War II. It's the story of Helen and Henry Rosenthal, German Jewish children who are hidden by their mother in a convent/orphanage in France after their father is seized by the Nazis. The siblings are terrified, lonely, sad, in dismay over the unknown fate of their parents, and all of the trauma combines to reduce Henry to silence. Both children are befriended by a "clown" who occasionally visits the orphanage to entertain the children - the famed mime Marcel Marceau. I was unaware of the true story that's the basis of this novel; Marceau was a part of the French Resistance and was responsible for saving the lives of hundreds of Jewish children by forging papers and smuggling them over the Swiss border to safety. This is not an action-packed adventure tale, but instead more of an incredibly tense serious novel. Very well-written and an excellent way to teach children about recent history.
July 5, 2025
This is a terrific book, number 2 in an interesting series about rescues in WWII.
This one has older sister Helen and her younger brother Henry who is rather sensitive in his feelings. The surprise takes a while to learn but one rescuer turns out to be history’s most famous mime, Marcel Marceau!
In order to save her kids from the Nazis in Germany, Henry and Helen’s mother makes the harrowing decision to leave them in the care of strangers in France at a convent. Their father had already been taken.
The story is well told and interesting. There is suspense and sadness and longing but Helen and Henry stick by each other and each have the opportunity to be brave.
Recommended for ages 10+
This one has older sister Helen and her younger brother Henry who is rather sensitive in his feelings. The surprise takes a while to learn but one rescuer turns out to be history’s most famous mime, Marcel Marceau!
In order to save her kids from the Nazis in Germany, Henry and Helen’s mother makes the harrowing decision to leave them in the care of strangers in France at a convent. Their father had already been taken.
The story is well told and interesting. There is suspense and sadness and longing but Helen and Henry stick by each other and each have the opportunity to be brave.
Recommended for ages 10+
January 9, 2022
Interesting and suspenseful story of German-Jewish siblings brought to a French convent orphanage to keep them safe. There they are given French names, taught the Catholic mass, and wait to hear from their mother with news of their missing father. As the Nazis start looking for Jewish people in the village near the convent, the decision is made to send all the children, in small groups, over the border to Switzerland, a journey made only at night, and of at least 6 days. They are surprised to find that a local young man who visits the orphanage to entertain them with mime performances is also their guide. Based on the real-life experiences of Marcel Marceau.
September 10, 2021
This tells a story about the real exploits of Marcel Marceau who (pre-fame) helped Jewish children escape from Nazi's during WWII. Not a bad historical fiction - I got this for my 10 year old, but I enjoyed it well enough myself. The end comes suddenly and I felt the author just ran out of ideas but the narrative up until then was pretty exciting. The main characters were very well drawn and the background setting felt realistic.
June 29, 2019
The author takes on a challenging task, creating a book for children about one of the most terrifying parts of world history. Both main characters, Helen and Henry, are realistically flawed and interesting to follow. The most interesting portions are when Marcel Marceau joins the action. I was happy to learn some things through this book!
December 24, 2019
Beyond the story of the main characters, I did not know that Marcel Marceau was part of the resistance and a forger during the German occupation of France. I remember watching his films as a child, and being fascinated by his abilities. Now, I am able to give thought to the man beyond the actor/clown.
May 11, 2019
I didn't know the story of Marcel Marceau, the French mime who risks his own life to save Jewish children during the SEcond World War. This is the second book in a series by Canadian author Kathy Kacer highlighting the heroes of the Second World War.
June 22, 2020
Another great book in this series. I was unaware of Marcel Marceau's heroic involvement in WW2. I like the way the author weaves fiction and history together, and I enjoyed the contrasts of silence and speech. Lots of tension in this story. I had a hard time putting it down.
Read
August 13, 2019want to read
February 2, 2020
Marcel Marceau's Resistance activities
April 19, 2021
I cant read this online? Why?
Read
January 29, 2022I'm always happy when I read a well written historical fiction story. I thought this was a good addition to the many WWII stories out there.
June 3, 2022
It was so interesting how Kathy Kacer brought real people from World War 2 into a historical fiction book!
March 10, 2023
2 jewish come to covent in france to save them. We meet marcel marceu the famous mime. In 1940 he did Mime amd helped take children out the coutry to escape the nazi's
May 30, 2024
I liked it, I thought the ending could have been better though
August 17, 2025
Set in France.
"Story of world renowned mime artist Marcel Marceau's heroic work for the French Resistance during WWII."
"Story of world renowned mime artist Marcel Marceau's heroic work for the French Resistance during WWII."
October 31, 2025
Tense and gripping.
November 29, 2025
Absolutely loved this!
February 23, 2026
Simply amazing.
Want to read
April 26, 2021Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
May 11, 2021
Super underrated book, incredibly easy and interesting read. Wish more people would pick this book up.
November 23, 2018
Kacer's story is remarkably told through the eyes of Helen and Henry. Two Jewish children hidden in a French convent during WWII. As they adjust to new identities, new routines, and the daily fear that they will be caught like their father, they must learn who to trust and who not to trust. Very reminiscent of the film Au Revoir Les Enfants. This book will bring the horrors that plagued children during WWII through to the modern reader in a way that makes them feel like they are with Helen and Henry.
April 14, 2019
Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was a fabulous historical fiction for middle grade readers involving WWII. The story plot is of Jewish children hiding in Catholic orphanages and then walking to Switzerland. One of the guides famous mom Marcel Marceau. This was a great spotlight on a hidden gem of history. The content was definitely guided for a middle grade reader but I will definitely recommend this to my school librarian to purchase!
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews