The Light in Hidden Places

by Sharon Cameron Narrated by Beata Pozniak

Overview

The extraordinary story of Stefania Podgórska, a Polish teenager who chose bravery and humanity by hiding thirteen Jews in her attic during WWII -- from #1 New York Times bestselling author Sharon Cameron.

One knock at the door, and Stefania has a choice to make...

It is 1943, and for four years, sixteen-year-old Stefania has been working for the Diamant family in their grocery store in Przemysl, Poland, singing her way into their lives and hearts. She has even made a promise to one of their sons, Izio -- a betrothal they must keep secret since she is Catholic and the Diamants are Jewish.

But everything changes when the German army invades Przemysl. The Diamants are forced into the ghetto, and Stefania is alone in an occupied city, the only one left to care for Helena, her six-year-old sister. And then comes the knock at the door. Izio's brother Max has jumped from the train headed to a death camp. Stefania and Helena make the extraordinary decision to hide Max, and eventually twelve more Jews. Then they must wait, every day, for the next knock at the door, the one that will mean death. When the knock finally comes, it is two Nazi officers, requisitioning Stefania's house for the German army.

With two Nazis below, thirteen hidden Jews above, and a little sister by her side, Stefania has one more excruciating choice to make.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Praise for The Light in Hidden Places:

A Reese's Book Club YA Pick

"Beautifully written and meticulously researched. Sharon Cameron captures the extraordinary story of one of history's hidden heroes. Every devastating moment is both gripping and powerful." -- Ruta Sepetys, New York Times bestselling author of Salt to the Sea

"Harrowing, heartbreaking, and yet so full of hope." -- Jennifer Donnelly, New York Times bestselling author of Stepsister

"Haunting and lyrical. An incredible true story of bravery, survival, and defiance." -- Alan Gratz, New York Times bestselling author of Refugee

"Sharon Cameron's exciting novel weaves together the lightheartedness, sheer terror, and incredible inner strength of this young woman, my mom. This book exceeds all my expectations." -- Ed Burzminski, son of Stefania Podgórska

* "Authentic writing and well-researched history combined with the gripping and terrifying subject matter make this a must-read for historical fiction fans. Cameron's remarkable, heartbreaking true story of one woman's bravery and selflessness in World War II Poland will intrigue both teens and adult readers." -- School Library Journal, starred review

* "Cameron's wide-ranging research and deft storytelling abilities combine to create an astoundingly authentic first-person narration. Her exquisite prose conveys in riveting detail exactly what it was like for Stefania to live through the horrors she witnessed." -- BookPage, starred review

"A true story of faith, love, and heroism. [Cameron] deftly details Stefania's brave actions and includes moving family photographs in the author's note... Readers will be pulled in by the compelling opening and stay for the emotional journey. An inspirational read." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Empowered by thorough research -- an author's note details events after the war -- Cameron successfully conveys horror and bravery in this powerful and captivating novel. A memorable read." -- Booklist

"Cameron's novel is heartbreakingly real in its attention to detail and its ability to pack emotional punches." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"This story of extraordinary survival is bolstered by an author's note, accompanied by photos." -- Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Knowing:

* "Both a politically charged adventure and culture study, this thought-provoking dystopia stands firmly on its own." -- Booklist, starred review

"Diverse, well-drawn characters abound, but in the riveting power struggles that ensue, women are dominant players, ruthless ideologues willing to sacrifice all that interferes with the goal. The intricately woven narrative threads come together in a suspenseful denouement sure to leave readers hoping for another installment." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Wildly inventive yet somehow believable... For all of its fantastical elements... this companion novel is ultimately a story about two teenagers, Samara and Beckett, finding their places in the world, managing familial and societal expectations, and falling in love. Cameron is a writer of prime caliber." -- School Library Journal

Praise for The Forgetting:

A #1 New York Times bestseller

An Indie Next List selection

* "Effective worldbuilding and strong characterization... A well-crafted fable for our time." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "This fantasy is a marvelous achievement." -- School Library Journal, starred review

"[An] absorbing adventure." -- Publishers Weekly

"The Forgetting is Sharon Cameron's fourth young adult novel, and she's grown adept at blurring the lines between fantasy, dystopian and science-fiction genres. Cameron reminds us, through Nadia's documented memories, that we must learn to appreciate the truth as much as question it, exploring the morality tucked within the fallacy of memory." -- Bookpage, Top Pick

Praise for Rook:

A YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection

An Indiebound Indie Next Top Ten selection

Winner of the Parents' Choice Gold Award

"The suspense kicks right off in this action-packed tale, quickly wrapping readers up in the drama." -- Romantic Times

"Full of derring-do and double crosses, this romantic adventure is thoroughly engrossing." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Cameron crafts a brilliant homage to The Scarlet Pimpernel yet also manages to make her telling unique, particularly in... the many twists, turns, betrayals, and lucky breaks [that] will keep readers breathless until the very end." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Rook is sure to be a read all readers will remember." -- Portland Book Review

Praise for The Dark Unwinding:

A YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection

Winner of the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award

"Utterly original, romantic, and spellbindingly imaginative." -- USA Today

"Haunting thrills unfurl." -- Entertainment Weekly

"Gripping twists, rich language, and an evocative landscape." -- Publishers Weekly

"[A] singularly polished piece." -- The Horn Book

"A strikingly original, twisty gothic tale that holds surprises around every dark corner." -- Judy Blundell, author of What I Saw and How I Lied

Praise for A Spark Unseen:

"Gripping... [an] absorbing, intelligent adventure." -- Kirkus Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

2019-12-08
A true story of faith, love, and heroism.

Stefania "Fusia" Podgórska longed for nothing more than to leave the rural Polish farm she was born on for the city of Przemyśl where her older sisters lived. At the age of 12, she did just that, finding a job with the Diamants, a family of Jewish shopkeepers who welcomed her into their lives. For three years they lived peacefully until the Germans dropped bombs on Przemyśl. The family struggled on as the war and anti-Semitism ramped up, but eventually, the Diamants were forced into a ghetto. Then 17, Catholic Fusia was determined to help them survive, even at the risk of her own safety, while also caring for her 6-year-old sister, Helena, after their family was taken by the Nazis for forced labor. Knowing the risks involved, Fusia made a bold decision to harbor Jews. As the number of people she sheltered increased, so did her panic about being caught, but she was determined to do what was right. Cameron (The Knowing, 2017, etc.) used Stefania's unpublished memoir as well as interviews with family members as source material. She deftly details Fusia's brave actions and includes moving family photographs in the author's note. Narrated in the first person, the story highlights essential events in Fusia's life while maintaining a consistent pace. Readers will be pulled in by the compelling opening and stay for the emotional journey.An inspirational read. (author's note) (Historical fiction. 13-18)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940172368578
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	03/03/2020
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

Read an Excerpt

I go to the door, pressing an ear to the wood before I turn the lock. The empty hall outside our room stretches to the other empty rooms of the empty apartment. As it should. Everything is as it should be.And then a noise shoots through the silence. Louder than a gun. A grenade of fear inside my chest. And I know the sound I have missed.Someone is knocking on my front door.They know. They know. They know.The words beat with my blood.Another mattress spring pops, and I feel Helena coming up behind me. She doesn't speak. She is six years old and doesn't have to be told that this is not the time for questions.The knocking comes again, louder, this time with a whisper through the cracks."Stefania?"It's a trick. The Gestapo want me to open the door without a fuss. So they don't have to break it down. So they can give a nice, unblemished apartment to some nice German officer and his law-abiding wife with clean hair and mended stockings.Maybe this means they will shoot us outside, like Mr. Schwarzer.The whisper comes again."Open the door! Fusia!"The Gestapo does not know me by that name.I run for the door, hands out, fingers already searching for the newly repaired lock. I know it isn't him. It can't be him. But I fumble and twist at the lock anyway, then fling open the door. Helena gasps. Or maybe the gasp came from me. Because the bare bulb hanging in the hallway has shown me that it's not him. It's not who I thought it would be at all.

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