Friedel and Gina by Jeremy Dronfield - OPTIONAL

Friedel and Gina by Jeremy Dronfield, 368 pages. NON-FICTION. Harper Collins, MARCH 2026. $19

Language: PG (11 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG-13 (many Holocaust related shootings, gassing mentioned)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Follow Friedel and her fraternal twin Gina from the beginnings of WWII in 1930’s Dusseldorf Germany and through their liberation at the end of the war when they escape during a death march as the Nazis try to kill off the few survivors of the concentration camps.

Dronfield takes on a heavy load as he tries to include every twist and turn of the Rosenthal family’s lives as Hitler joins German politics and the family gets caught up in his Final Solution.  He would have been better served to choose a few key highlights to emphasize.  Were I a family member, I would be proud of all that was included.  As an outsider looking in, however, I would prefer not to hear about every single move - it made the book drag. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Song of a Blackbird by Maria van Lieshout - ESSENTIAL

Song of a Blackbird by Maria van Lieshout, 256 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL First Second (Macmillan), 2025 $18. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (war violence, execution of resistance members, blood in graphics) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

When Annick's Dutch grandmother needs a bone marrow transplant, and discovers she is not a blood relative of her siblings, Annick begins a search of her grandmother's history to discover what happened to her in German occupied Amsterdam during WWII. Told from 2011 and 1941, we see the answers to Annick's research as events unfold during the war. In 1941, artists and art not approved by the Nazis was forbidden, but Emma, who likes to draw was introduced to the underground art community by a friend, as well as learned how she could help the Resistance from a teacher at her school - smuggling forged paperwork produced by her artist friends and helping foster Jewish babies who have been saved from deportation with their parents. Annick discovers that one of these babies may have been her Oma, and that Oma has a brother. 

A well written, well documented account of the resistance movement in Amsterdam during the war. I especially loved that many of the graphic illustrations were superimposed onto photographs taken by the Resistance. I was especially impressed by the end notes, telling about who the characters were based on the stories behind the events that happened in the book. The Bank Heist was my favorite. As I began reading, I noticed that Song of a Blackbird takes place at the same time and in the same place as Artifice by Sharon Cameron. It had some overlap which was fun. The characters are Dutch 

Lisa Librarian  

Safiyyah's War by Hiba Noor Khan - ADVISABLE

Safiyyah's War by Hiba Noor Khan, 336 pages. Allida, HarperCollins, 2023. $20. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (Nazi soldiers, threats, arrests, children in peril) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

11yo Safiyyah lives with her family in Paris. Her father is one of the leaders of the Grand Mosque. When Hitler's army invades the city and Jews are arrested, abused and sent away, Safiyyah's father and other leaders help provide identification and safe passage for Jewish people fleeing Paris. But when the Nazi's suspect the men might be up to something, Safiyyah volunteers to help the Resistance. Afterall, who would suspect a little girl? 

Oh, historical fiction is such a hard sell these days, but Safiyyah's War is a beautiful story and I hope it's Beehive Book Award consideration helps boost readership. I love that she's aware of how dangerous her deliveries are, and understands the intensity of her interactions with soldiers. I was often on the edge of my seat. Based on real events during WWII, I'm sure there were children who, like their parents resisted the occupations and helped where they could. The characters are Muslim. 

Lisa Librarian 

Artifice by Sharon Cameron - ADVISABLE

Artifice by Sharon Cameron, 464 pages. Scholastic, 2023. $14

Language: PG13 (46 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (Romance, kisses); Violence: PG (Occupation of Nazi's, violence toward Jewish people, peril for Dutch citizens)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

18yo Isa is in Amsterdam during WWII. Her mother is dead and her father, a painter and art dealer is addicted to morphine, so paying the taxes on the gallery and making enough money to meet their basic needs falls to her. She sells a painting to the Germans. It is a forgery, but they don't know it, at least she thinks they don't. But when Michel, one of the Nazi soldiers shows up at her door, and remembers her from when he visited from Vienna with his father, her world starts to crumble and she finds herself meeting Michel's demands, as well as helping her friends who work with the Dutch resistance.

An exciting historical fiction, based on actual people. I liked Cameron's author notes at the end, giving us the rest of the story of the real people, and more about the pieces of art that were hidden, forged or sold.  There isn't any war action (except for a couple of night air attacks on the city of Amsterdam), but there is lots of danger and scary door banging.  A nice read, but a bit long for middle school.

Characters are Dutch, Austrian or German. 

Lisa Librarian 

Not Nothing by Gayle Forman - ESSENTIAL

Not Nothing by Gayle Forman, 282 pages. Aladdin (Simon and Schuster), 2024. $18. 

Language: PG (5 swears, 0 F); Mature Content: PG (boobs mentioned twice, one sexual referrence); Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

12yo Alex is is in big trouble. A judge has sentenced him to spend his summer volunteering at the Shady Glen retirement home. Alex thinks the geriatric residents are like zombies, and he doesn't like the bossy other teen he works with. But his home life isn't any better. Alex is living with his aunt and uncle who don't want him because his mother has abandoned him.
Josey is a 107 year old resident of the home and hasn't spoken in years. He is a Holocaust survivor, thanks to his ability to sew and an intrepid woman named Olka. He is waiting to die until he meets Alex and the two form an unlikely bond. Alex keeps coming back to hear Josey's story because at times, they both feel like nothing. 

This is a multi-generational story of hope, compassion, and forgiveness. The characters explore how they can rise to the occasion of their lives, which is a great concept to contemplate. The characters are believable and endearing, and the writing is beautifully crafted. There is a level of tension to find out what will happen to Alex and what really bad thing he did. I got emotional while reading because I was totally invested. This is a must read. Josey is Jewish, and Alex's race is not specified. 

Michelle in the Middle 

The Girl Who Sang by Estelle Nadel and Sammy Savos - ADVISABLE

The Girl Who Sang by Estelle Nadel and Sammy Savos, 272 pages. Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan), 2024. $26. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (Soldiers shooting prisoners, injury, peril death) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Living with her family in Poland in 1939 seemed idyllic to 4yo Enia, but by 1942 the German soldiers had invaded Poland and it was not safe for Jews, so she went into hiding with her mother and brothers. Dependent upon neighbors to hide them, her mother and eventually her brother found food to help them survive. 

I know graphic novels read quickly, so it's no surprise I finished "The Girl Who Sang" in one sitting, but I've got to say it was mostly because I just couldn't put it down. As Enia's family disappeared a little at a time, I worried that she would be left completely alone. Sammy Savos' illustrations are wonderful! The violence was represented effectively without being too graphic, I loved the peeking out views of her world through the thatched roofs. Includes a nice afterword with "what happened" to many of the characters, including photographs, and a letter from Estelle (Enia's American name). 

Lisa Librarian 

Max in the Land of Lies by Adam Gidwitz - OPTIONAL

Max in the Land of Lies (Operation Kinderspion #2) by Adam Gidwitz. 352 pages. Middle Grade Penguin, 2025. $19. Language: PG (3 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (Max is required to drink beer, also a woman is forced to take off her clothing); Violence: PG13 (Max sees some of the horrors of a concentration camp - minimal details, also German interactions with Jews are described) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

13yo Max has been selected for a special spy mission back to Berlin. He's willing to do almost anything to try to find his parents, which is crazy because he's a Jewish boy. His talent with radios comes in handy, for soon he's working in a repair shop and meets the right person who gets him into the broadcasting center (The Funkhaus) where he demonstrates his electrical genius and lands a job there! Just like his English spy team trained him to do. But what if he goes too far? What if someone finds out who he really is, and where are his parents? 

I loved this spy story, but I'm not sure the intended audience has the background knowledge to understand what's really going on - Gidwitz puts Max in some remarkable situations - an audience with Goebbels, captured by German agents, and then remarkably gets away. No one seems to take Max for the child he still is. I wasn't too keen on all the political instruction and the deep looks into Nazi propaganda that Max (and the readers) were getting. I kept asking myself "does a 12yo reader really need to know all this?" It was a fascinating adult read, but I'm not sure it will be as exciting as "Max in the House of Spies" was. The magical realism is still there as well, the kobold and the dybbuk are still with him, adding a lot of the necessary comic relief. Gidwitz has included extensive author notes indicating who is real and who isn't and more info about the reals, as well as an annotated bibliography. Max is German and Jewish - nearly all the other characters were also German 

Lisa Librarian 

The Night War by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley - ESSENTIAL

The Night War by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, 288 pages. Middle Grade, Dial (Penguin), 2024. $18. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (peril, war violence, rough treatment, injuries, talk of killing people) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

12yo Miriam is a Jewish girl living in German occupied Paris. When her neighborhood is rounded up, Mimi escapes with her neighbor's daughter and is rescued by a nun who sends her and little Nora to the Chateau de Chenonceau. Nora is adopted by a family, much to Mimi's horror, and Mimi's name is changed to Marie and she is enrolled in a catholic boarding school. Eager to find Nora and escape, Mimi gets caught up in a "Night War" where she risks not only her life, but the safety of everyone at the school. 

I love Bradley's historical fiction, and I recommend this one as highly as I did "The War that Saved My Life". Well researched, a great location with a gorgeous castle and a gripping story; Historical Fiction lovers won't be able to put it down. I loved the characters, even the friends at school are nicely rounded out. Includes an author's note with a picture of Chenonceau (which I had to look up as my imagination wasn't good enough). Characters are Jewish, German and French. 

Lisa Librarian 

When We Flew Away by Alice Hoffman - ADVISABLE

When We Flew Away by Alice Hoffman, 304 pages. Scholastic Press, 2024. $20.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Before Anne Frank started writing in her diary, she lived a—mostly—normal life. Sure, her family fled to the Netherlands when Germany started imposing extra rules onto those of Jewish descent, but Anne (10yo) loved going to school and got into arguments with her mother and talked through math class. Until the night everything changed.

Hoffman flits between the whimsical Anne with poetic imaginings and the heavy facts of regulations on the Jewish people and death statistics. This fictitious prequel to The Diary of a Young Girl paints every member of Anne Frank’s family with mercy. Anne’s diary shows the difficulty that Anne had with her relationships with her mother and older sister, and Hoffman suggests that each of these characters could still have been motivated with love as they struggled to deal with this difficult time.

Anne and her family are German and Jewish. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol and illegal activity. The violence rating is for assault, death, and mentions of war, hate crimes, bombing, holocaust, and concentration camps.

Review: Carolina Herdegen

Max in the House of Spies by Adam Gidwitz - ADVISABLE

Max in the House of Spies by Adam Gidwitz, 320 pages. Dutton (Penguin), 2024. $19.

Language: PG (5 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (described violence from Kristallnacht, bullying, racist language) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

11yo Max is sent to England as his parents try to send him to safety from the Nazis. He hates that he was sent away, but as the family in London is kind to him, the bullies are terrible to Max because he is Jewish and he wants to find a way back to Berlin. One of the Montegue uncles is a navy spy, and Max, smart and clever, volunteers himself for the job. No one would send a Jewish boy back to Germany, but Max just needs to prove himself to the right people. 

Max has a couple of magical creatures riding on his shoulders as he joins the kindertransport; a kobold and a dybbuk who are the providing comedic dialogue for the reader, and extra problems for Max as he is the only one who can see and hear them. It's like having Danny Devito and Billy Crystal comment on everything you do. I loved it! A serious topic, a child is separated from his parents who have likely been swept away to a prison camp, Max's resourcefulness and spunk makes for an exciting read and a great history lesson. Gidwitz has set us up for book two. 

Max is Jewish and German, the rest of the characters are British. 

Lisa Librarian

Code Name Kingfisher by Liz Kessler - ADVISABLE

Code Name Kingfisher by Liz Kessler, 322 pages. Aladdin (Simon), 2023. $19.

Language: G (0 swears, 0  “f”); Mature Content: G ; Violence: PG (alludes to round ups and deaths)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Present day - First 13yo Liv is abandoned and ridiculed by her best friend.  Then she is assigned a family history project - but her family consists of only four, and her grandmother refuses to talk about her history. Then as they are cleaning the attic, she finds a precious little box that supplies a few clues.  Amsterdam, 1942 - The Nazis are rounding up Jews, so 12yo Mila and 16yo Hannie are sent to live with a non-Jewish family near their former home in Amsterdam. Mila tries her best to acclimate to the new situation, but Hannie is angry and needs a way to fight back - even if it means putting her life in danger.

Having lived in the Netherlands, I am always interested in the topic.  I wish I had asked more questions while I was there.  But Kessler gives us another side of the Amsterdam story (bless Anne Frank, but she was not the only Jewish person in the city) and a powerful Holocaust story. I hope your school is also intrigued about the topic and interested in learning.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Sky Over Rebecca by Matthew Fox - ESSENTIAL

The Sky Over Rebecca by Matthew Fox, 240 p Union Square Kids 2023 $17 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: G; 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO MANY 

10yo Kara is mystified by the footprints in the snow across the rooftop of her apartment building in modern-day Stockolm, Sweden. Then one night she meets 13yo Rachel who, with her brother Samuel, is hiding. It takes a few encounters, but Kara finally realizes that she is meeting the siblings in a time travel loop and that the pair are German Jews hiding during WWII. Kara isn’t sure what she can do in her time to help the others to safety. 

I loved this book. The setting reminded me so much of winters in Norway, dark and cold and not very much daylight. Kara is brave and will do what she can for her new friends. The time travel part of the story was fascinating and done believably. Kara and her mother are Swedish. Rebecca and Samuel are German Jews. 

Ellen-Anita. Librarian 

White Bird by R.J. Palacio, with Erica S. Perl - ADVISABLE

White Bird by R.J. Palacio, with Erica S. Perl, 264 pages. Knopf (Random House), 2022 $18. 

Language: PG (2 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (Physical assault, characters shot at, murder, not graphic) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

13yo Sara lives in Vichy, France with her parents. It's the 1940s and the Nazis have taken control of the region. One day, at school, the Jewish children are captured. Sara manages to escape and is rescued by 13yo Julien, a young boy who uses crutches, as he had polio and his legs are crippled. He takes her home and hides her (with his parents' consent) in the family's barn. For the next 2+ years, Sara must remain a secret, nevertheless, she grows close to the family who is caring for her, and especially this boy, who is sacrificing everything to help her. 

Based on the graphic novel from 2019, this retelling which coincides with the release of the motion picture, is well done. I read the graphic a few years ago, and it tells the same story - I expected additional scenes or other characters, but it stays faithful to the original. I did like the occasional illustrations - taken from the graphic novel, and there's an 8-page section of glossy photos from the movie. I think the movie tie-in will draw readers to the novelization, but I would still recommend the graphic novel first. Sara is Jewish. 

Lisa Librarian 

The Dressmaker's Daughter by Linda Boroff - OPTIONAL

The Dressmaker's Daughter by Linda Boroff, 239 pages. Santa Monica Press, 2022. $13

Language: PG-13 (37 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: R (multiples rapes on page and off); Violence: PG-13 (soldiers killing) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW 

15 yo Romanian Jewish Daniela wants to become a doctor. Although 18 yo Jewish Mihail is hired to tutor her the two rapidly fall in love. When the Germans invade her town in Yedinitz, Romania her family is unable to escape. After the family is forced to leave the town, Daniela struggles to survive the Transnistrian Death march without her family. While Daniela is forced to be a concubine to a Romanian Iron guard commander, she is able to become a nurse at the field hospital. One night when the partisans come to kill two Nazi leaders Daniela is able to be reunited with Mihail, escape, and live with the partisans until the end of the war.

Linda Boroff did a great job at showing different perspectives of how it would be to live under German rule and justification of how people would act to survive.  The story line flows fast, is believable, and has a reader's attention throughout the book. The book takes place during WWII and whenever there are scenes with soldiers there is usually a lot of swear words. Daniela also gets raped multiple times thoughout the story and it feels like the main point of the story is her experiences with rape. Boroff could have spent more time discussing Daniela’s experiences with the field hospital or partisans to give the book more value in a classroom setting. The title is misleading in that Daniela's role as the dressmaker's daughter is never really the focus of the story.

 Jaime Tuttle, Librarian 

The Tower of Life by Chana Stiefel and Susan Gal - ESSENTIAL

 The Tower of Life: how Yaffa Eliach rebuilt her town in stories and photographs by Chana Stiefel, illustrated by Susan Gal. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Scholastic, 2022. $19. 9781338225891

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Yaffa was a little girl when the German army swept into her small village and killed nearly every Jewish inhabitant. Over the next few years, Yaffa and her family fled and hid – always a few steps away from capture. When Yaffa came to America, she became a renowned Holocaust scholar. When President Jimmy Carter asked her to help create an exhibit for the Holocaust Museumin WDC, she remembered the few photographs she managed to save and spent the next 17 years traveling the world to look for other photographs that may have remained as witness to her village.

Wow, Wow! What an awesome story. Any class in any school that studies the Holocaust or refugees will devour this book. Students may not understand at the beginning of the story why it is so important, but by the end they will be drawn in just like I was. What a precious new piece to our knowledge of history! I don’t always wish for more back matter in my picture books, but this one needed so much more! I guess I’ll have to do my own research. 

Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS 

Why We Fought by Jerry Borrowman - OPTIONAL

Why We Fought by Jerry Borrowman, 208 pages. NONFICTION. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2021. $20.

Language: PG (3 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

World War II was devastating to families and countries, and it would have been worse if not for those individuals and groups whose stories are finally being told here. Risking their lives to help Jews flee and to help the Allies fight against the Nazis, these heroes knew to fight for what they believed was right even when it wasn’t easy.

Borrowman organizes this book into seven sections, and each true story pierces the heart of readers and will encourage them to act in a way that fights for good. None of the heroes talked about in this book went about doing good in the same way; likewise, readers can find their own unique ways of being heroes. Some of the accounts and facts can get dry, but the inspiring stories are worth it.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

When the World Was Ours by Liz Kessler - ADVISABLE

When the World Was Ours by Liz Kessler, 328 pages. Aladdin (Simon), 2021. $19 

Language: G (0 swears, 0‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (non-graphic) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Summer 1936, 9yo Leo, Max, and Elsa were best friends, enjoying a perfect day at the Ferris Wheel in Vienna, Austria. A year later everything changes – Elsa’s Jewish family is moving to Czechoslovakia to get away from the anti-Jewish climate, Max’s father has joined Hitler’s party and starts rising through the ranks, and Leo has been banished from his school because he is Jewish. Soon Leo’s family will escape to Canada, while Max is drawn farther into Hitler’s hate. A series of chance encounters will bring two of them together, while the one survivor will wait years to know the fates of the other former best friends. 

Kessler paints a picture of WWII through the eyes of children, torn apart and molded by the hate of the adults and others around them. A good addition for a large Holocaust collection. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Traitors Among Us by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch - ADVISABLE

 Traitors Among Us by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, 264 pages. Scholastic Press, 2021. $8. 

Content: PG (some torture) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Maria and Krystia thought they were finally safe in an American Zone refugee camp in Germany. However, one night some Soviet enforcers arrive and basically kidnap the girls after Sophie, the Hitler’s Youth daughter from the Huber farm, outs their hiding place. Now they and Sophie and a father/son pair have been dragged to the Soviet Zone and interrogated by the brutal guards. Not only do the Soviets despise the Nazis, they also can’t stand the idea that anyone who should “belong to them”, should try to find a new life for themselves. All of the new prisoners are desperate to escape, but it will take cunning and luck to survive. 

I love the new dimensions that Skrypuch has added to the WWII story. The arc of the Marie/Krystia story has been entertaining and educational. Just the right amount of tension. I do hope the girls have finally found a safe refuge! 

 Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

37 Days at Sea: Aboard the M.S. St. Louis, 1939 by Barbara Krasner - ADVISABLE

 37 Days at Sea: Aboard the M.S. St. Louis, 1939 by Barbara Krasner, 160 pages. Kar-Ben publishing (Lerner). 2021. $18. 

Content G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

12yo Ruthie Arons is a young Jewish refugee on the M.S. St. Luis, bound for Cuba to escape Nazi Germany. Ruthie discovers a Nazi on board and worries about her father, especially when the ship is not allowed to dock in Havana. 

Though Ruthie is fictional, the story is based on actual events. Written in free verse, this is a fast read, though the verse doesn’t seem like actual poetry. Tough this is a nice introduction into the plight of the St. Luis, it doesn’t say anything new or go into much depth. The timeline at the back is a nice touch. 

 Michelle in the Middle 

They Went Left by Monica Hesse - AVERAGE

They Went Left by Monica Hesse, 384 pages. Little Brown, 2020. $18 

Language: R (9 swears, 4 “f”); Mature Content: PG-13 (sexual situations); Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

18yo Zofia survived the Holocaust – only she and her younger brother Abek were told to go left, while the rest of her family went right – into the gas chambers. Liberated, Zofia, despite her poor health, is traveling throughout Germany and Poland in search of Abek. She finds a place in a displaced persons camp. She also finds a variety of friendships, including the enigmatic Josef, who intrigues her on a personal level. There are many levels of lies – to one’s self, to others, in order to protect the body and the heart. 

Hesse has given us a mature look at the immediate aftermath of the Holocaust. Very nuanced writing, the main characters are new adult aged – older in audience than Hesse’s other books I’ve read. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS