The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin
A heartwarming story about the power of books to bring us together, inspired by the true story of the underground library in WWII Warsaw, by the NYT bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London.
It is 1939, and nothing could prepare Marta and Janina for the Nazi occupation of their homes and families in Warsaw. Friends since childhood, the two women couldn’t be more different – Marta is Polish and a stubborn, practical planner; Janina is half-Jewish with fanciful ideas of war and heroism. But as the bombs rain down on Warsaw and Hitler’s forces surround the city, a series of tragedies spur them to action. Both avid readers, they find ways to join the war efforts using one of the only weapons that still feel safe to them: literature.
While Marta and her father become active in the underground and work to salvage books in danger of being destroyed, Janina aids a secret library in the ghetto, lending and delivering books to orphans. As the round ups and executions intensify, these books become a life preserver for members of their community. But the closer Warsaw gets to liberation, the more dangerous it becomes for the women and their families – and escape may not be possible for everyone. Through the destruction and death raging around them, Marta and Janina must fight to preserve their culture and community, finding hope in each other in order to survive.
