Most Popular Books by Carol Matas

An unforgettable reminder of the resilience of human compassion, even in the face of the worst horrors of our history. In the autumn of 1940, Anna Hirsch and her friends and family are rounded up by Nazis and deported to Gurs, a refugee camp in the south of France. Food is scarce, and the living conditions inhumane. Even worse is the ever-present fear that they will be relocated once again -- this time to one of the death camps. But when word comes that Anna and the other children are to be moved, their destination is not Auschwitz or Buchenwald, but Le Chambon-sur-Lignon: a tiny village whose citizens have agreed to care for deported Jewish children. Based on the true story of a French village that banded together to protect the Jews during WWII, this unforgettable tale honours the contagious goodness that permeated one corner of a region otherwise enveloped in evil, and celebrates the courage of all those who put their lives at risk to save others.

Daniel, whose family suffers as the Nazis rise to power in Germany, describes his imprisonment in a concentration camp and his eventual liberation.

When Mama falls ill and Papa invests all the family''s money in a new business, eleven-year-old Rosie Lepidus must go to work in a garment factory and soon gets involved in union activities.

After being released from Buchenwald at the end of World War II, fifteen-year-old Ruth risks her life to lead a group of children across Europe to Palestine.

After her father''s sudden death, fourteen-year-old Rose Rives finds that sixteenth-century France is a dangerous place for women, when some greedy, vindictive men charge her mother and others with being witches.

Key Selling Points Thirteen-year-old Zevi uses his psychic powers to save the life of a famous actor during the filming of a movie. This story examines the effects of fame and the importance of choices, while exploring themes of responsibility, empathy and doing the right thing. Carol Matas is an internationally acclaimed and award-winning author of dozens of books for young people. She’s written in a variety of genres, including historical fiction, sci-fi, supernatural and thriller. She is also a graduate of the Actor’s Lab in London, England, and pursued an acting career for a few years. The accuracy of the movie set and filming scenes was expert reviewed by filmmaker John Kozak, a professor of film at the University of Winnipeg. Enhanced features (dyslexia-friendly font, cream paper, larger trim size) to increase reading accessibility for dyslexic and other striving readers.

In her third adventure, Rosie and her family leave Chicago to make movies in Los Angeles and Papa brings home an entire Wild West show for filming.

In nineteenth-century Russia, betrayed by a fellow Jew, sixteen-year-old Aaron is taken by officers of the Czar and forced into military service.

About to be married in Coren''s homeland of Andilla, Coren and Leonora discover that before the wedding can proceed they must find out why the Andillan people have lost their special powers and why Leonora is having nightmares about the evil Hevak.

Family means everything to 12-year-old Rebecca Bernstein. Even after a fire destroys their farm and the family must relocate to the bustling city of Winnipeg, Rebecca feels safe and happy as long as everyone is together. But life is hard in the city, and Papa cannot find work. Rebecca''s greatest fears are realized when she is sent into foster care until Papa can earn more money. She is terrified to discover that she''ll be living with a Ukrainian family--Jews and Ukrainianswere archenemies in the old country. What if the Kostianuks hate her? Rebecca discovers an unexpected soulmate in Sophie, the Kostianuks'' daughter. Normally shy, Rebecca soon finds herself battling prejudice both in the schoolyard and at home in order to protect the forbidden friendship. Fighting anti-Semitism, Rebecca comes to appreciate what faith means to her and learns some important truths about her parents'' personal and spiritual sacrifices.

Ben flees Nazi Germany only to find himself in a battle for his life and his soul.

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.

★“In this delightfully original nonfiction picture book... the readable text offers understandable science, while the engaging illustrations promote careful investigation. A valuable addition to science and nature collections. Highly recommended.”—School Library Journal, starred review How do animals see the world? It turns out, very differently. In this nonfiction picture book, a young girl and her baby sister''s outdoor adventure (hiking through the forest, picnicking in the grass and swimming in the ocean) is overseen by the local fauna. The way those animals view the girls is very different from how the girls see each other. Goats see far and wide in a panorama, whales don''t see color the way humans do and a high-soaring eagle''s sharp vision can clearly see a tiny mouse far below. Through clever illustrations and scientific prose, we are reminded that while we may see things differently, we all share this life together on planet Earth.

When Lenora and Coren find themselves trapped in a world created as part of the contest held in preparation for their marriage, they encounter the writers who are responsible for their existence.

Follows the adventures of two royal teenagers who possess extraordinary mental powers.

In 1862, after Union forces expel Hannah''s family from Holly Springs, Mississippi, because they are Jews, Hannah reexamines her views regarding slavery and the war.

"In this sequel to ''After the War, '' Ruth and other refugees forge a new life on a kibbutz in Palestine. Danger strikes as the U.N. prepares to vote on partitioning Palestine and hostilities escalate. For mature audiences" Cf. Our choice, 1998-1999

The Telling chronicles one dramatic summer in the lives of three sisters - aged 12, 14 and 17 - as recounted by them in late night tell-alls. (1998)

Trouble comes to the kingdom of Gepeth in the form of a flying giant, the appearance of forbidden snow, a tornado, and the loss of Princess Lenora''s extraordinary mental powers.

Miranda has it all: beauty, brains, talent, perfect health. Then when day her vision gets a little blurry - and the doctor tells her it''s the first symptom of a fatal disease. Her parents are prepared to fight for her life with everything they have: wealth, connections, determination. Miranda won''t lose her life, or her sight. Instead, she''ll begin to see things about her parents - about her life - that surprise her. Shock her. Scare her. Save her.

This account of resistance fighter Jesper''s activities fighting the Nazis after Lisa escapes to Sweden finds him in a German prison, having been tortured and destined to die.

When fourteen-year-old Debbie moves to a new town and Hebrew school following the death of her grandmother, she begins to be uncomfortable with the overly familiar behavior of the Rabbi principal.

On the anniversary of her great-grandmothers birthday, Roz is given a family heirloom: her great-grandmothers locket. She convinces her mother she wont lose the locket if she wears it to school. But then the unthinkable happens. Someone steals her locket! Can Roz and her friends get it back before her mother finds out?

Jade decides to use her psychic ability to try and prevent a murder from taking place.

A young Jewish girl recounts her experiences during a horrifying time in recent history. As Rose begins her diary, she is in her third home since coming to Winnipeg. Traumatized by her experiences in the Holocaust, she struggles to connect with others, and above all, to trust again. When her new guardian, Saul, tries to get Rose to deal with what happened to her during the war, she begins writing in her diary about how she survived the murder of the Jews in Poland by going into hiding. Memories of herself and her mother being taken in by those willing to risk sheltering Jews, moving from place to place, being constantly on the run to escape capture, begin to flood her diary pages. Recalling those harrowing days, includingwhen they stumbled on a resistance cell deep in the forest and lived underground in filthy conditions, begins to take its toll on Rose. As she delves deeper into her past, she is haunted by the most terrifying memory of all. Will she find the courage to bear witness to her mother''s ultimate sacrifice?

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.

Set against the tumultuous excitement of a political convention, The Race explores politics, loyalty, right and wrong, and where they all fit in one young girl''s life.

The thrilling sequel to Cloning Miranda and The Second Clone. When Miranda is accused of vandalism on school property, she''s confident she can clear her name - until she''s shown the security tapes. Even she can''t tell that the girl on the tapes isn''t her, or her cloned "twin" sister Ariel. Miranda must fight to clear her name or face being expelled, and possibly charged by the police. But one way or another, she knows she can''t tell the truth to the authorities, or share her suspicions about the real culprit. Meanwhile, Dr. Mullen, her creator, has called a press conference to announce that he is the first scientist ever to create a living human clone. Could the girl on the security tape be yet another Mullen-made Miranda clone? Or could it be Eve, the dying third clone that Mullen kidnapped? No matter what, it looks like Miranda and Ariel are about to face the biggest challenge of their lives.

Isobel thinks that she and her family will find their fortune in Canada. But Isobel''s mother dies before they even cross the ocean, and other misfortunes follow their every step. Isobel''s family and the other Selkirk Settlers are caught in the fur-trading rivalry between the Hudson''s Bay Company and the North West Company and cannot even start to build when they do reach their destination. The harsh climate, and escalating threats against the settlers, make it impossible to start a new life. Only through perserverance and help from the local Cree band are Isobel and her family finally able to put down roots in the Red River Valley. Vetted by historical experts, each book in this series contains maps, numerous period illustrations, and an extensive historical note.

After the shocking murder of her husband, 19-year-old Ros and her one-year-old son relocate to her childhood home to live with her parents. Palm Springs--full of sunlight, small and safe--should be the perfect place to bring up a child. But things aren''t always as they appear. When the father of one of Ros''s friends is shot in front of her house--an incident that also lands Ros in the hospital--it marks the beginning of a terrible string of events. Someone is out to get her, and they seem determined not to stop until her friends and family are also drawn in. As she struggles to uncover the identity of her mysterious enemy, Ros finds herself looking for answers in the most unusual places. Could the attacks have something to do with her increasingly disturbing dreams? And if so, how can she make them stop? In Past Crimes, bestselling author Carol Matas once again asks her readers to question their assumptions about the world around them. Are we capable of fully understanding the lives we lead, or do the things we fail to understand far outnumber those that we do? Growing out of her work in books like The Freak, Past Crimes offers an innovative twist on the mystery/thriller genre, and is a must-read for fans of Matas''s work. Veteran novelist Carol Matas knows that a fast-paced plot is mandatory for youth raised on television. In Ros [the protagonist], Matas has created a heroin who will appeal to teenage girls Canadian Review of Materials Ive read Past Crimes and its interesting that shes tackled something typically new. Shes gone from one genre to another and not many writers can. Shes willing to challenge different kinds of writing, and shes incredibly productive. Helen Norrie, Childrens reviewer from the Winnipeg Free Press as quoted in the Jewish Tribune

Inspired by Tucson''s first Jewish mayor, Tuscon Jo follows the clash between a father who is running for major of Tuscon in 1882, and his spirited fourtheen-year-old daughter.

This dramatic story tells of 11-year-old Devorah''s efforts to help her cousin and pen pal Sarah emigrate from Paris before the Nazis deport the Jews to internment camps. Devorah learns that 5,000 Jewish children in France have visas to leave the country, but the Canadian government will not let them in, leading Devorah to desperately lobby the government to change its policies. Turned Away illustrates the restrictions on the life of Jews in Paris via letters from Sarah who is living in German-occupied France. It also reveals Canada''s dismal record on Jewish immigration during World War II and depicts the impact of the war in Canada. In Winnipeg, one intriguing response to the war was "If Day," when local people posed as Nazis and staged a mock invasion to illustrate what it would be like if the city was occupied. Also included are fascinating period documents and photographs, many from the Holocaust Memorial Museum. The historical consultants for Turned Away were Dr. Irving Abella, co-author of the ground-breaking book None is Too Many, and Terry Copp, author of the remarkable book No Price Too High.

After a life-threatening illness, fifteen-year-old Jade wakes up w ith some unexpected new abilites.

A young WWII gunner from the Prairies sees the horrors of war firsthand when he is captured by the Gestapo. Eighteen-year-old Sam Frederiksen has come a long way from the Prairies. Trained to be a gunner in a Lancaster bomber during WWII, he is shot down over France. Battered and bruised, he does survive, and joins forces with the French Resistance... only to be betrayed by one of its members. He and other flyers from various Allied countries are rounded up by the Gestapo and held in Fresnes prison just outside of Paris. Treated as spies, rather than POWs, these men are beaten, some tortured — then sent to Buchenwald Concentration Camp in eastern Germany. It is here, in these wretched conditions, that Sam witnesses the darkest side of humanity — gas chambers, torture and starvation. Yet it is also here that he comes to understand the true resilience and unfathomable courage of the victims. Author Carol Matas has won numerous awards for her previous novels about the Holocaust. Behind Enemy Lines is partially based on a true incident from WWII, in which 168 Allied airmen were captured and sent to Buchenwald. Twenty-six of these men were Canadian.

Isobel thinks that she and her family will find their fortune in Canada. But Isobel''s mother dies before they even cross the ocean, and other misfortunes follow their every step. Isobel''s family and the other Selkirk Settlers, caught in the fur-trading rivalry between the Hudson''s Bay Company, cannot even start to build when they do reach their destination. The harsh climate, and escalating threats against the settlers, make it impossible to start a new life. Only through perserverance and help from the local Cree band are Isobel and her family finally able to put down roots in the Red River Valley.

A holiday treat for fans of the Dear Canada series, and all lovers of historical fiction! Holiday cheer really does go a long way. Devorah is still trying to make others aware of the desperate plight of Jews in Europe under Hitler''s Nazi regime. And she''s still worried about her brothers overseas, one a pilot with the RAF, one in a Japanese POW camp. A forced visit with her no-nonsense Zionist grandmother, and helping out a neighbour who has lost two sons to the War, give Dev a different take on what really makes a difference in people''s lives. This short story was originally published in Dear Canada: A Christmas to Remember, a collection featuring many of Canada''s top writers for children, including Jean Little, Sarah Ellis, Maxine Trottier, and more. New readers will adore this stand-alone holiday tale, while fans of the series will recognize the voice of Devorah, whom they first met in the award-winning Dear Canada book Turned Away. Collect all 12 Dear Canada Christmas stories this season and enjoy a very happy holiday!