Odette's Secrets (23 page)

My greatest debt of gratitude in writing this book is to Daniel Meyers, Odette's son. From the start, he welcomed me into his home and was always generous with his time and help. Without his cooperation and assistance, I would have been unable to write
Odette's Secrets
.

I am also especially grateful to my husband, George Macdonald. His support and enthusiasm for my work is unfailing.

Steven Chudney, my agent, has been my steadfast ally in seeing
Odette's Secrets
on its road to publication. Melanie Cecka gave the manuscript the benefit of her thoughtful, sensitive, and intelligent editing. Brett Wright's courtesy and diplomacy made it easy to accept his astute suggestions. These two editors made me happy my book had found a home at Bloomsbury. Last but not least, my friends and fellow writers, including Louise Borden, Trish Marx, Paula Panich, and Richard Peck, read the manuscript at different stages along the way and offered much encouragement.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Copyright © 2013 by Maryann Macdonald

All rights reserved. You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce, or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

First published in the United States of America in February 2013
by Bloomsbury Children's books
www.bloomsbury.com

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to
Permissions, Bloomsbury Children's Books, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10010

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Macdonald, Maryann.
Odette's secrets / by Maryann Macdonald. — 1st U.S. ed.
p.    cm.
Summary: When Odette's father becomes a Nazi prisoner of war and the Paris police
begin arresting Jews, her mother sends Odette to hide in the Catholic French countryside
where she must keep many secrets to survive.
ISBN 978-1-59990-750-5 (hardcover)
1. Meyers, Odette—Childhood and youth—Juvenile fiction. [1. Meyers, Odette—Childhood and
youth—Fiction. 2. Jews—France—Fiction. 3. Holocaust, Jewish (1939–1945)—Fiction.
4. World War, 1939–1945—France—Fiction. 5. Identity—Fiction.
6. France—History—German occupation, 1940–1945—Fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.M1486Ode 2013 [Fic]—dc23 2012015549

eISBN 978-1-59990-925-7