"The unforgettable story of a Jewish teenager who survives World War II and embarks on a long and dangerous journey to a new land ... and new life. A poignant, inspirational novel about the inner strength of children, and how other children find their place in the world" Cf. Our choice, 1997-1998

Carol Matas shares a “powerful account” of two young teenagers who are willing to stop at nothing to prevent the danger the German invasion of 1940 brought to Denmark ( Publishers Weekly). The Nazis have invaded Denmark, putting Lisa and her family’s safety in danger. But they refuse to parish without a fight, leading Lisa and a group of teenage Jews to an underground resistance movement. As the Nazi’s plan to send anyone of Jewish faith to concentration camps, Lisa realizes that the war her people are fighting is a lonely and deadly one. Desperately wanting to prevent the harm and danger to come, Lisa and her brother, Stefan, fight desperately to prove that even just one person can make a difference.

During the struggle to create the state of Israel in 1947, Ruth Mendolsohn, who helped young refugees flee Poland in "After the War", is a member of the Haganah, a group of Israeli fighters that believes only in self-defense. Her brother thinks that terrorism is necessary to get results. War seems inevitable and both will have to fight. Will they find the security of a place they can call home?

I survived. Protected by the Nazis that killed my family. Could I ever forgive myself? Award-winning novelist Carol Matas brings readers into the heart of Nazi Germany with the harrowing story of Marisa, a Polish Jew whose blond hair and blue eyes make it easy for her to pass as a Christian. With the Nazis ready to herd the remaining Jews of her town into a ghetto, and with her family either scattered or dead, Marisa takes the papers of a Polish girl and goes to Germany in a desperate attempt to survive as a Polish worker. Marisa finds work as a servant for the Reymanns, a German family that treats her with respect. But she must never forget that Herr Reymann is a high-ranking Nazi. Marisa is hiding in plain sight in her enemy's house. This unflinching account of Marisa's dilemma as a Jew living a lie in order to survive will give readers a new perspective on the nature of good and evil, even as it touches their hearts.

Determined to make a difference in the war, Jesper refuses to stop fighting the Nazis in Carol Mata’s “stirring account” of a young boy facing the dangers of World War II ( Publishers Weekly). In the sequel to Lisa’s War, Jesper continues his work for the Danish resistance and recounts the dangers that led to his confinement in a German prison. Determined to make a difference any way he can, Jesper begins to work for an underground press to help tell the truths about what is happening during the war. Simultaneously, frustrated with the state of their country, Stefan and Jesper join forces to fight the Nazis. “Mata’s extensive research, combined with powerful characterization and compelling narration, creates an intense, provocative novel.” – Publishers Weekly

In the Face of Evil In the autumn of 1940, Anna Hirsch, her friends, and her family are rounded up by the Nazis and deported from Germany into France. They are placed in Gurs, a refugee camp where conditions are inhuman. But even worse is the terror that the Jews will be relocated to one of the Nazi death camps. Relief workers arrange for Anna and the other young people to be sent to Le Chambon, a tiny village in France. There, the villagers agree to care for the Jewish children. But as the war rages on, Jews in France -- and those who shelter them -- are in increasing danger. Will Anna and her friends survive? Award-winning author Carol Matas presents a powerful and unforgettable story of courage in the face of evil.