As a child, the author went into hiding with her sister in Holland to escape from Nazi persecution of Jewish people of all ages during World War II. Her earlier novels set during this time have evoked a powerful sense of child bewilderment linked with innocent courage. They include Hide and Seek (1991), Anna Is Still Here (1993), and Dancing on the Bridge of Avignon (1995), all published in translation by Houghton Mifflin. None has centered as clearly on those emotions as this one. In it readers become acquainted with 12-year-old Eva and her sister Lisa, who must go into hiding, becoming separated from their parents, their community, and even their own names. The girls are moved from one hiding place to another whenever the partisans hiding them choose not to maintain that dangerous role. The girls have only each other, uncertain where their parents are, or whether they’ll be able to find their family again if or when they become free. Together the sisters share memories, and they have a gift for imagination that helps them survive. A unique, suspenseful novel about terror-filled experiences is filled with believable dialogue and credible responses on the parts of children and adults. An excellent companion novel to Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (Houghton Mifflin, 1989). (Ages 9-12)

What would it be like to lose your home, your family, and even your name?

Eva and Lisa Zilverstijn find out. When they go into hiding from the Nazis during World War II, they lose everything but each other.

As they move from attic to attic, Eva and Lisa must rely on their courage, their imaginations, and the compassion of strangers to survive.

Based on the author's own experiences in Wartime Holland, The Key Is Lost is a moving, understated story about the will to live and how two girls triumph against tremendous odds.

Best of the Year Holocaust Books for Youth (Booklist)