The Lady with the Books opens with a particularly timely quote attributed to Jella Lepman, the book’s inspiration: "Let us set this upside-down world right again by starting with the children. They will show the grown-ups the way to go."
Set in a city in Germany in 1946, we follow young Anneliese and her brother Peter as one day, while navigating their recovering city, they discover a traveling book exhibition. It is here that the children meet the “lady with the books", a woman who brings the children stories from around the world that spark imagination and wonder.
The power of stories to incite hope and connection is emphasized by the vibrant, distinctive illustrations which complement the words; and the historical realities of war and loss are touched upon in a way that is thoughtful and further highlights the book’s message.
Included in the last few pages are some interesting details of Jella's life, along with more information about traveling book exhibit, which I especially appreciated as I think the background really added to the story when I reread it.

The Lady with the Books is the tale of children after World War II in Germany. Their city is destroyed and they are starving. But they find solace in a book display at a nearby museum and leave inspired to perhaps change the world. I loved this little slice of history that hardly anyone talks about. After WWII, German children were the victims of so much hate, a poor economy, and lost parents. This book reminds us that there is hope out there in the world with the next generation and that we can always find hope and solace in books.I was happy to read in the footnotes of the book who "The Lady with the Books" actually was and how she brought this exhibit to cities around Germany. I was also happy to learn about what happened to the collection and the Book Castle.
I would recommend this book to my early non fiction readers, anyone who adores children's literature, and to students learning about the aftermath of WWII.

I think the story was really neat about the lady who created the opportunity for Children to read books. Books have always been a big part of my life. It was a story about a girl Anneliese who discovers the book museum. The main lady at the museum tells a story and that's really cool. She does not ever give her name though. It started off great but then abruptly stopped when it was night time. It went into the biography of Jella who was the inspiration behind the story. I found it really fascinating but I don't think children will find it as interesting as I do. I think it could have incorporated more of the facts of Jella's life into the story.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

I am in love with all the Kids Can Press books so far.
I had no idea that 'The Lady With The Books' is based on a real story. It was a delight to read the story. I am always intrigued by how we can explain war to kids. How do we simplify the complexities and the atrocities and say, "here is what went wrong". But keeping hope centrestage always works.

This book covers a variety of topics, including poverty after WW2, grief around losses both physical and emotional as a result of the war, rebuilding and resiliency, and the strong bond among family. I think this book provides a strong platform to begin talking with older children about the consequences of war. The relationship between Anneliese and her brother, Peter, is very genuine. She is extremely loyal to her brother. The book highlights the importance of community through the rebuilding process. This is what the library provides for the family when they enter and see all the books. It is a very heartwarming scene to see the family reconnect with their deceased father in the library, as well as provides them an escape as the books take their imaginations to faraway places.

Inspired by true events, a fictionalized retelling of how one woman brought a world of books to children in Germany after World War II, and changed their lives forever. What a lovely book! It will give children an understanding of some of the events that came before them, while keeping them entertained and captivated! The writing and the illustrations were lovely, and I know that children would enjoy this book very much!

I requested and received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley and Kids Can Press in exchange for my honest review.
The story is based on the life of Jella Lepman “The book lady” who believed that bringing books from around the world to the children of Germany after WWII would give kids hope and make them feel connected to children around the world. Jella hoped that by connecting kids she could prevent future wars.

This fictionalized story is told from the perspective of two children who were fortunate enough to see Jella’s travelling book display and how the books changed their lives. I love the illustrations in this book, they are beautiful and simple, but they accentuate the story being told perfectly.

This was a wonderful story and should be included in every home library.

Based on the true life event of Jella Lepman in Germany, this book paints a poignant picture of life after war in Berlin. People were struggling for food, displaced, and struggling to make sense of life without their former relatives and things. When everyone was hungry for food, Jella's traveling library, with books from around the world, lit a fire of hope, curiosity, and hunger for knowledge in kids as told by Anneliese and Peter. The exaggeration by Anneliese, Peters search for curiosity shines through the text. The pacing is excellent making readers want to turn the page to find out what happens next. Illustrations by Marie Lafrance are both appealing and apt for the times. The choice of colors reflects the somber mood of the time. Good book for introducing life after WWII to kids, through kid experiences.

This blend between fact and fiction imagines the experiences of two German children who visited Jella Lepman's library after World War II. I had never heard of this historical figure before, but as the author's note explains, Lepman was a Jewish woman who fled Germany prior to the war and then returned afterwards to help with the recovery process. She built bridges through books and empathy, persuading twenty different countries to donate books to her collection for German children. She later established a large international children's library in Germany, and founded an organization that still distributes books to children in crisis. Some of the proceeds from this book will go to that fund.

I am glad that I had the opportunity to read this book. It's a very interesting story, and even though the art style doesn't appeal to me, I appreciate the focus on a little-known time in history and the portrayal of how German children suffered because of the war. However, even though this is a very unique and moving book, I would rather have read a picture book biography based on the author's note, rather than the fictional story with Lepman's library as the backdrop.

Still, even though I wish that this book had focused more on Lepman herself, I definitely recommend it to families, schools, and libraries. It explores a little-known and important part of history, educates readers about Lepman's courage and humanitarian work, and is a great conversation starter for how reading helps children develop empathy and hope.

This book is the imagined story of two children visiting the exhibition of books set up by Jella Lepman after World War Two. She believed that sharing stories from around the world with children in Germany would help them and wider society. She wrote to countries and asked them to send her books, despite being told it wouldn't work. It did and she was able to create and tour her collection of 4000 books across Germany.

Prior to reading this beautifully illustrated book, I knew nothing of this incredible woman. This will be another great addition to any collection.

My Thoughts
This is a beautiful story. Here are my pros and cons for The Lady with the Books:

Pros

1. This is a fictionalized children’s story about how a “Lady with the books” impacted the lives of two children.
2. The “Lady with the books” was Jella (pronounced YELL-ah) Lepman. She was a woman who believed that children in post-WWII Germany needed books as much as they needed food. She believed books would offer children hope for the future. She particularly wanted to provide them with books from around the world to help children feel connected to each other, in hopes of preventing future wars.
3. There is a mini-biography at the end of children’s story that gives more detail about what Mrs. Lepman accomplished. I also encourage you to read more about this incredible woman on Wikipedia.
4. This short little picture book is so full of emotion! I’m absolutely not embarrassed to admit there was one particular scene that brought a tear to my eye. It was when young Peter asked the lady if he could take a book home with him. She had to tell him no, since the books were meant to be read at the exhibition only. The biography mentions how much Mrs. Lepman hated telling the children they could not take the books home, so she decided to translate one of the popular books into German and had 30,000 copies printed. All of the children that attended the book exhibition in Berlin took home their own copy of The Story of Ferdinand by American author Munro Leaf. If you are not familiar with that book, it is about a bull who loved flowers and didn’t want to fight.
5. The illustrations by Marie Lafrance are simply beautiful.
6. Besides the wonderful tale about the impact of books on children, you will also get a small glimpse into what post-war life was life for families and children.

Cons
None.

Summary
I think this book is important for children to read because it stresses not only the importance of books, but it reinforces how thankful we should be if we have ready access to books! There are many places in the world where books are still considered very precious and rare or even nonexistent… for children and adults alike. Mrs. Lepman believed that books provided readers with hope, understanding, and a sense of connection with others. She was right.

I’m a huge advocate for children reading books and I can’t believe I’ve never heard of Mrs. Lepman before now. I find it oddly appropriate that I learned about her from a children’s book.

I would encourage parents to read the book first. The target age is 4 to 7 years old, but the book does mention that the children’s father was shot and killed in the war, and it also mentions going hungry and thoughts of stealing food. The story does not linger on these topics, but I thought it was worth mentioning that they exist.

Thank you NetGalley and Kids Can Press for a free eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Anneliese and younger brother Peter lived in Munich during the aftermath of World War II. Women with wheelbarrows were seen carting away broken pavement and chunks of demolished buildings. "Couldn't they see that the street would never be what it had been before the war?" Anneliese and Peter aimlessly wandered the streets in search of food. What they found, however, was food for the soul.

A line of people outside a building...perhaps a food line? Inside awaited a great surprise! "A great hall [of] books...Papa used to take her to the library...Now the library was gone. And Papa was gone,too!" In the great hall, children gathered around a lady who was reading an English version of "The Story of Ferdinand", translating some passages into German and encouraging the children to look for "picture clues". Peter commented, "that bull is just like me. He likes flowers, and he doesn't like to fight". The children, when asked for a favorite part, indicated that after all Ferdinand had been through, he was able to return home.

In 1945, Jella Lepman, decided that "as much as food, books were what the children needed". She started a Traveling Book Exhibit, "Believing that good children's books from around the world could create 'bridges of understanding' between people...the best hope for preventing another war". Her exhibition of books included "Winnie the Pooh" by A.A. Milne, "The Story of Babar" by Jean de Brunoff, and "The Story of Ferdinand" by Munro Leaf, one of the books banned when Hitler was in power.

"The Lady With the Books: A Story Inspired by the Remarkable Work of Jella Lepman" by Kathy Stinson is a beautifully written tale of hope, courage and healing that arguably will have broad appeal to readers young and old. On a muted background of whites, grays and pale blue, illustrator Marie Lafrance exquisitely "colors" the children, flowers and trees and the plethora of books contained in the great hall.

"Let us set the upside-down world right again by starting with the children. They will show the grown-ups the way to go".

-Jella Lepman, 1945

Thank you Kids Can Press and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A cute story book inspired by a woman I haven't heart of before, Jella Lepman, who during the world war focused on children and supplying them with books and stories to save and repair their souls. The book also includes a bio of her and all the things she accomplished for the children in that field, starting with her small library, to the "Book Castle". She was such an interesting character to learn about! The art is beautiful and the story would leave the children definitely thinking.

I thank Netgalley and Kids Can Press for the digital ARC

Note, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will go to the International Board on Books for Young People’s Children in Crisis Fund. ❤

The Lady With the books is based on real-life book lady, Jella Lepman, who fled Nazi Germany around the time of World War II, then returned and gave the children of the worntorn country hope by exhibiting 4,000 children’s books in four cities in Germany. She even had one title, Ferdinand the Bull, who loves flowers and hates fighting, translated into German and 30,000 copies printed so the kids could take a book home with them. In the years since she started this project, the exhibit has grown into a castle, literally, the now 30,000 lendable books and 600,000 reference books are now housed in a castle in Munich.

This book tells the story of two children who have lost their father and almost everything else in the war. One day, one of the children sees a line where she thinks food might be, but when it’s her and her brother’s turn, they go into an exhibition of books where they discover the joy and hope in books. It’s a really sweet story of such a tragic time, and Lepman’s story is even more inspiring. Definitely check this one out when it releases in October, as your purchase could help Children in Crisis. If you can’t buy a copy yourself, suggesting a purchase at your local library is free and can help this fund and the publisher, too!

“Let us set this upside-down world right again by starting with the children. They will show the grown-ups the way to go.” —Jella Lehman, 1945

The Lady with the Books is a story based on a true visionary, Jella Lehman. After World War II in Germany, Jella believed in her heart that what children needed most were books to help them relate and stay connected with one another.

In this fictionalized story we have two young children, Anneliese and her brother Peter, who have recently lost their father due to the war. Life’s difficult and there’s barely any food to eat. As they walk down the street one day in war-torn Munich, they stumble upon a large building with a long line of people going in. They’re curious, thinking there might be food involved. What they find when they enter are hundreds of children’s books. While inside they meet a woman who inspires them to read again, which is something they’ve missed since their father isn’t here to read stories to them anymore.

I can’t believe I’d never heard of Jella Lepman before now, especially with as much as we’ve read on WWII. This turned out to be such an educational book for everyone in our home. We loved the literary references—some were even banned by Hitler. What I appreciated the most about the book is all the added information in the back for older readers like me regarding Jella and IBBY. What a remarkable woman.

This book covers a broad age group, even for younger readers who haven’t learned the details of WWII yet. The Lady with the Books is at the top of my list for children’s educational books this year. I highly recommend this for schools, libraries, and parents.

5*****

Name: The Lady with the books
Author: Kathy Stinson, Marie Lafrance
Genre: Children Fiction
Review: Eye catching cover. It is based on the true story of Jella Lepman. This story is fictionalized retelling of how a woman who brought a world of books to children in Germany after World War II, and changed their lives forever.
“Let us set this
upside-down
world right again
by starting with
the children.
They will show
the grown-ups
the way to go.”
— Jella Lepman, 1945
The illustrations are really good and attracts the attention of the reader's. This story tells the importance of books in one's life.
Though it is hopeful and optimistic for the reader, the books needs some editing. I felt disappointed with the ending, though it is as real and positive as it can be.

This book is a wonderful biography that is a fictionalized version of a very real story.

I love books like this - picture books with lots of tales to tell! Books like these would have made me way more interested in history as a child!

The Lady with the Books follows Jella Lepman, a woman who traveled to Germany in the 1940s and participated in an exhibit of international children's books. It's a story of hope during the war, and is a truly marvelous book to pick up.

There's also a little German-English dictionary at the front that shows you German words, their English meanings and how to pronounce them.

I didn't like the pictures as much as I liked the story. I found the pictures to be rather odd and just didn't vibe with me. They still work well and are quite colourful, but they aren't my style.

Four out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

"The Lady with the Books" tells the story of a woman who wanted to bring stability and grace to the lives of children affected by war. She did this through books. The story follows Anneliese and her brother Peter as they find the Lady and share books with her. The colored illustrations in gentle muted colors portray the Lady and her quest to share books with children. The end of the book contains factual information about Jella Lepman, the real-life Lady with the Books, and how she persevered in her efforts to bring books to children. Her efforts eventually supported the development of IBBY, the International Board on Books for Young People, which still functions today.

This is a story to be shared by children and their parents. It will help children to see how books can bring joy into even the most difficult situations.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

This is an important book that will (hopefully) inspire a child’s love of reading. The gentle, pleasing illustrations amplify the author’s voice—a perfect complement to the well-told story.

Two children folllow a line into a building, thinking food is available. Instead, they encounter the wonderful world children’s books. Here is a story that offers hope for a brighter future after tragedy.

Although the story is “inspired by the remarkable work of Julia Lepman,” the horrors of World War II, the Nazi rise to power, and the tragedy of the Holocaust are downplayed in this work. The book does mention the child’s father being shot for disobeying an order. The book opens with Germany recovering and in rubble. Understandably, this is not the forum to discuss what really happened. However, this book could be a starting point for Holocaust education for children, at least older ones. And more information about the life of Jella Lepman could be provided in a classroom setting.

The Lady with the Books is a story of the woman who eventually leads an incredible book organization. The illustrations are gorgeous.