Louder Than Words

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We haven’t even finished with 2019 and I already have a giant list of book recommendations for you! 2020 promises to be an amazing year in the book world! I just had the pleasure of reading an Advanced Readers Copy of Louder Than Words by Kathy Kacer and it was amazing! It will simultaneously warm and break your heart and I can’t wait to share it with you!

Louder Than Words is the latest in the Heroes Quartet by author Kathy Kacer. It shares the story of a Jewish family during World War 2 and how one woman put her own safety on the line to help them.

The book shares the story of Dina, a 12-year-old Jewish girl, and her family. Dina’s father has passed away and her mother is forced to go back to work. Despite many objections from Dina, her mother hires a housekeeper to help out with the day to day things now that she will be gone. Nina is a sweet woman who is very eager to help the family. Nina is not Jewish, but rather of the Catholic faith. It doesn’t take long before Nina becomes a part of the family.

Unfortunately, things start to become much more heated in their small town in the Ukraine. The Nazis have invaded and it is no longer safe for Dina, her 2 sisters, or their mother. They are no longer allowed at the park or at school and they are forced to wear fabric in the shape of the Star of David on the fronts and backs of their clothes to identify them as Jewish. Then the unthinkable happens. Their home burns down and they have nowhere to go. Nina sacrifices her own safety to keep the family fed and out of harm’s way. Nina knew that the family would never be safe or given another home if they were found out to be Jewish so she had the children listed as her children.

A Must-Read

I couldn’t put this book down. Kacer writes in such a way that you feel like you are a part of the story. I felt like I was sitting with Dina and her family as they listen to the radio and learn that the Nazis are invading. I could feel the overwhelming fear that a young girl of 12 must have felt when walking down the street not knowing if any of her old friends and neighbors could be trusted. The complete panic they must have endured when the Nazis pounded on their door and demanded to search the home. How horrible it must have felt to have to deny your faith to keep yourself alive.

Amidst all of this heartache and fear though, there are people like Nina who risked their own safety to help others. Louder Than Words is based on a true story. Ludviga Pukas (Nina) was, in fact, a real person who did these incredibly brave things. She risked her own life by helping this family and she never even thought twice about it. She loved them and she knew that what was being done was wrong.

When my kids and I begin talking about World War 2 next year, Louder Than Words will for sure be at the top of my read-aloud list. It is a beautifully written, powerful story that needs to be shared. I am already on the hunt for the other books in the series because I know they will be wonderful as well. If you are studying World War 2 or the Holocaust, I highly recommend adding this book to your list!

This is a middle-grade book and I thought it dealt with an extremely difficult topic in a very delicate manner. I would so highly recommend this book for anyone considering studying World War 2. My kids are 13, 11, and almost 9 and I will not hesitate to share this with them.

For More Information

For more information on author Kathy Kacer, you can check out her website by clicking here.

You can pre-order your own copy of Louder Than Words by clicking the link below. Louder Than Words will be released in March of 2020. Thank you so much to my friends at Annick Press for sending an Advanced Readers Copy for my review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Link: https://amzn.to/2Z0FNhP