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Children's Fiction Holocaust

Le goût de l’espoir

by (author) Kathy Kacer

illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard

Publisher
Scholastic Canada Ltd
Initial publish date
Oct 2024
Category
Holocaust, Values & Virtues, Europe
Recommended Age
9 to 12
Recommended Grade
4 to 7
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781039708785
    Publish Date
    Oct 2024
    List Price
    $14.99

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Description

See below for English description.

En 1945, la petite Francine et sa mère sont envoyées dans le camp nazi de Bergen-Belsen. La vie y est triste et sans espoir pour les prisonniers. Soucieuse de préserver le moral de sa fille, la mère de Francine lui confie un secret : elle a deux morceaux de chocolat cachés dans son sac. Un trésor pour Francine, qui n’a pas vu de friandises depuis des années. Sa mère l’empêche pourtant d’y toucher. « Un jour, quand je verrai que tu en as vraiment besoin, je te les donnerai », lui promet-elle.

 

Francine apprend un deuxième secret lorsqu’elle rencontre Hélène, une autre prisonnière du camp : Hélène attend un enfant. Il y a si peu de nourriture, ici, et encore moins d’espoir… Hélène et son bébé courent un grave danger. Francine songe aux deux morceaux de chocolat. Elle peut peut-être faire quelque chose pour aider la mère et l’enfant. Ce geste de bonté marquera leur vie durant des décennies.

 

In 1945, young Francine and her maman are sent to the Bergen-Belsen Nazi prison camp, where life is gray and hopeless. Determined to lift Francine's spirits, Maman shares a secret: hidden inside her bag are two pieces of chocolate. They're the first sweets Francine has seen in years, but Maman tells her not to eat them. "One day, when I see that you really need them… that's when I'll give the chocolates to you."

 

When Francine meets Hélène, a fellow prisoner, she learns another secret: Hélène is pregnant. But there is very little food in the camp, and even less hope. Hélène and her baby are in grave danger. Remembering the chocolates, Francine realizes she may be able to help.

 

Francine's act of kindness will make ripples in their lives for decades to come.

 

Original title: Two Pieces of Chocolate

About the authors

 

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

 

GABRIELLE GRIMARD a illustré plus de 30 albums, dontLes mots volés, Quand j’avais huit ans, Fatima et les voleurs de clémentines, Aujourd'hui peut-être... et les livres de la série Petit Gnouf. Elle est aussi l'auteure-illustratrice de l'album Lila et la corneille. Gabrielle habite aux environs de Montréal.

 

From the time she was little GABRIELLE GRIMARD loved art, dismaying her elementary school teachers by constantly drawing in class. Later Gabrielle studied art in high school and university. After her son was born, she began illustrating children’s books and has now created more than 25, including When I Was Eight (Quand j'avais huit ans), Stolen Words (Les mots volés) and Not My Girl (Où est ma fille?). Lila and the Crow (Lila et la corneille) is the first book she both wrote and illustrated. She uses watercolours, gouache and oil to create images of amazing warmth and depth. Gabrielle lives near Montreal, QC. Visit her at https://www.gabriellegrimard.com.

Gabrielle Grimard's profile page

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