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| Dorit Orgad |
Dark Secrets |
| Young Adults |
Tel Aviv, Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1997. 120 pp.
AGES 11-15
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Secrets are mysterious and alluring; they can also be devastating. What each of the protagonists learns in this thought-provoking story is that keeping dark secrets hidden deep in your heart can adversely affect not only our own life, but the lives of others as well. They also learn about the importance of true friendship, of loyalty, of honesty and of the falseness of first impressions and external appearances.
Dudi, Yoav and Aviv are three students in the same 7th grade class. They each have their own private secrets. So does their homeroom teacher, Henia. Dudi, an overweight child who is the object of ridicule by his classmates, lies to his friends about his mother, who has left their home. Yoav, a bright and diligent student, makes every effort to hide the terrible truth about his father, serving time in prison. Aviv, the least-favorite son of a verbally and physically abusive police officer, is ashamed of the real reason for his buckteeth: at age 12, he still sucks his thumb. His frustration at not being able to stop this habit, and at being a disappointment to his father, drives him to become the class troublemaker. He makes the life of his teacher, Henia, a misery, not knowing that Henia is keeping her own secret: she is extremely ill and will soon have to stop teaching.
The stories of each of these characters gradually unfold, revealing their secrets - not only to the reader, but also to each other. The relief they sense when their heavy burdens are unloaded teaches us that although keeping dark secrets may seem justified, it is damaging in the long run. Sharing these secrets, the protagonists learn not only the value of truth, but also of compassion and friendship.
Illustrations: David Kedem
Excerpt Available in English Translation
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