Hidden on the High Wire

September 15, 2022
A young Jewish high-wire walker faces the dangers of Nazi Germany. Thirteen-year-old Irene Danner is a proud member of the Lorch Family Circus, founded by her Jewish great-great-grandfather, but even though Irene's non-Jewish father is now listed as the owner, the Nazi law forbidding Jews to work causes it to close. Irene's father is drafted into the army; Irene, her mother, and her grandmother go to live in a small town, living quietly to escape the eyes of possible persecutors. But when Irene's grandmother is dragged away from the public market and taken to a concentration camp, Irene's peace is shattered, and she approaches Althoff Circus, another German circus, which agrees to let her hide in plain sight--back on the high wire. Loosely based on the life of the real historical figure Irene Danner, with some significant differences, the novel shines an interesting light on Jewish-owned circuses, Jewish circus performers, and their plight during the Second World War. Unfortunately, Kacer never quite conveys the athleticism and talent required to be part of a circus--for example, after not practicing for nearly two years, Irene still performs her routine flawlessly on the first attempt. The characters lack nuance and never seem fully developed; Kacer relies too much on dialogue for exposition and tells emotions rather than showing them. A superficial treatment of an exciting true-life story. (author's notes) (Historical fiction. 10-14)

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September 1, 2022
Grades 4-6 Thirteen-year-old Irene glides across the high wire in the Lorch Family Circus, a Jewish-owned traveling circus now run by her parents. Yet 1939 is a dangerous time to be Jewish in Germany, and the inevitable occurs when the Gestapo arrives to shut the circus down. Irene reels from this sudden blow, only to see the Nazis conscript her non-Jewish father into their service. Kacer believably captures Irene's many emotions--the thrill of performing, the grief and sadness over her losses, the fear of Hitler's hate-fueled decrees, a burgeoning desire to assert her independence. The latter spurs her to action when she learns that the Althoff Circus is performing nearby, prompting Irene to ask Adolf Althoff to employ and conceal her and her mother--which he does. Though touched by plenty of tragedy, this is a more uplifting Holocaust tale than most, and what might ordinarily be seen as too tidy an ending becomes extraordinary when an endnote reveals that Irene's story is based on fact. A timely reminder of the power of kindness and generosity during antagonistic times.

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