This is a touching Holocaust story for younger readers. Laura a voice that is real and heartfelt, as is Sara's through her diary. Photographs and historical facts are included throughout the book, making it a useful teaching device as well as a link to the past and the present in a captivating story. A worthy read. ( )

Reviewed by Rebecca Wells for TeensReadToo.com

Laura Wyman has only three weeks to go before her Bat Mitzvah when she is assigned a special "twinning" project. She must read the diary of Sara Gittler, a young girl imprisoned in the Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust. Sara never had the chance to celebrate her own Bat Mitzvah, so it is Laura's task to share hers. She will honor her "twin" by speaking of Sara at her ceremony.

Though Laura is at first reluctant to undertake this project, she quickly becomes immersed in Sara's story, a struggle filled with tragedy, courage, and the will to survive. From Sara, Laura learns how to find the courage to understand some of the darkness of the world, and the strength to rise above it.

THE DIARY OF LAURA'S TWIN is a touching Holocaust remembrance story for younger readers. Though it is relatively conventional in theme and plot, Kacer brings the main characters to life, giving Laura a voice that is real and heartfelt. Photographs and historical facts are cleverly interwoven into the book, making it a teaching device as well as a captivating story.

This book serves well as an age-appropriate introduction to the Holocaust that will stay in readers' minds. ( )