This graphic novel was very profound. Dita’s dedication to saving books for those around her is a great reminder of why librarians are so important.

I struggled with this graphic novel only because I found it in the middle grade section and I don’t know if it is appropriate for that age group. I thought it was in many ways better than the novel. If it was put in a Young Adult category, I would be more willing to give it a more favorable rating. There were two portions that I felt were lacking. The portion where Dita is overwhelmed with the events and the pages are darkened and her friend dies along with the abrupt ending could have been more clear.

TW: antisemitism, death, genocide, holocaust, murder, nazis, parental deaths

Representation: The main character is Dita Kraus, a currently living Holocaust survivor. She is Jewish. There is a gay side characters.

This is a graphic novel based on the life of the currently living Holocaust survivor Dita Kraus. This was an accurate and emotional depiction of the realities of the Holocaust, and they represented the book and Dita's story well. While it is toned down quite a bit compared to the novel as it's aimed for children, I think this is a good introduction to the horrors of Nazism. It's crucial to keep stories like this alive, especially as states, schools, and libraries around the US are banning our stories.

It shows what it meant to be a child before the Holocaust, how life changed before being sent to concentration camps, and how brave you must be to survive. They discuss how, for just a few seconds, people sought an escape from their lives through music, plays, and reading. Everyone had a job and Dita found hers as the librarian. Her job was to ensure the few contrabanded books in Auschwitz were hidden from Nazis to prevent the deaths of her and everyone in her camp. She read books and put herself in danger by protecting the books at all cost. She was incredibly brave and it was fascinating to see that, especially knowing she was real and is alive.

The art in this was perfect. The artist captured the various faces of Jews in a way that is accurate and respectful. It's far too common for very negative and outdated stereotypes of us to leech its way into art about Jewish people, whether that's intentional or not. That's something I'm also cautious about when it comes to visual depictions of us, and I'm glad that it was done well.

I recommend also reading Maus by Art Spiegelman. It's aimed for an older audience (I'd say PG-13 would be an accurate rating if this was compared to PG) It's an essential graphic novel that truly changed the world of comic book storytelling.

A visually appealing and narratively engaging story in comics form. I highly recommend this graphic novel for young (and adult) readers — and it’s a wonderful classroom resource.

This book was a really Interesting read. I think that it is important for everyone learn about the Holocaust as much a possible. I would not reccomend this book to my students (I teach 6th grade). Most of my students don’t even know what the holocaust is, so I think that this would be a good read for them in highschool or older. This book has lots of death, nudity, sexual assault might be difficult for some readers.

While I didn’t care for the original book, I actually genuinely enjoyed it as a graphic novel. I feel like the author of the print book spent too much time on things that were easier expressed in graphics, and the translation was off considerably. I still think the story of Dita is impressive, likewise that of Fredy Hirsch. But I think this is the better way to tell it, for sure.

I am so glad they developed this into a graphic novel! It will be more accessible to more ages this way.
This was such a great book as a novel when in read it and I think they did a great job turning it into a graphic novel.
Many know of the horrific things that happened during WWII aren't know to students and this is a great way to show it.

I can't wait to share this with the students at my library.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

What a great graphic novel! Heart breaking but breathtaking story! I think this format will appeal to middle and high school readers. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review!

This graphic novel makes the story of the Librarian of Auschwitz accessible to more readers. As a teacher and historian I believe this is an excellent edition to any library/classroom. Adapting a novel into a graphic novel can be difficult, and of course some connections with characters are not as deep, but that is something I am able to over look for the fact it is so accessible. The notes in the back add more depth to the story — not only the historical and character information but to the way the the story was adapted.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers. I look forward to putting this on my physical shelf and recommending it.

This story is one that is important for kids to read and learn about. Many kids learn about the Holocaust and learn about the horrific things Jews went through but rarely do we read a book that shows the brave things children did despite their horrific circumstances.
"But you can see that I am shaking. Dita, brave people are those who can overcome their own fear. You are one of those." Middle-grade students are bombarded with moments that can make them nervous or shy, it was great for them to see a character they can relate to. Dita was afraid but brave enough to risk her life for a purpose.
While this graphic novel told a great story about overcoming fear, and the unthinkable events that happened to Jews, it also touched on aspects of the Holocaust that are not often talked about: homosexuality in concentration camps, different kinds of concentration camps, testing on kids. So many of the stories kids read about concentration camps tell similar stories, it was refreshing to see a different perspective.
This graphic novel is one that may not be appropriate for a middle school library. There were images of naked bodies throughout the graphic novel that some parents and teachers may not want to expose middle-grade students to. While this is an important story, the full novel may be better suited for a classroom.

Love the readability of the graphic novel style. Illustrations were terrific. This could be a good companion read to Diary of Anne Frank.

What a stunning graphic novel. I loved the story of Dita, a young girl who becomes a secret librarian at Auschwitz. I appreciated the author including the historical elements from the Holocaust, without it being too gory. I would say this is a good book for middle-schoolers, probably not for younger children. The print is easy to read and the illustrations are wonderful.

Disclaimer: I received an electronic ARC via Netgalley.
This is a graphic novel adaption of the novel, The Librarian of Auschwitz which is based on the life Edita Kraus.
Dita, as she is called for much of the novel, is living with her parents in Czechoslovakia when WWII starts. Eventually the family is restricted in movement and then deported. Once in Auschwitz, Dita becomes a librarian helping out with lending books out to people, a form of resistance.
Rubio and Aroca do an excellent job of illustrating what life was before the war and the horrors of what Dita and her family went though. What’s more, the camp section of the story – the largest section of the story – details more than just Dita’s experiences. They illustrate other groups that were in Auschwitz, including homosexuals.
While the novel does not downplay the violence and horror, it is presented in a way that is acceptable for children.
Highly recommended.

The librarian of Auschwitz is based on the experience of real-life Auschwitz prisoner 14 year old Dita Kraus, who risked her life to keep the magic of books alive during the holocaust.

I highly recommend this book, it is the story of Dita Kraus but It is also a story of survival. This book has shown how books can be a little beacon of Hope and escape from an awful situation.

The art of the graphic novel is very beautiful and emotive although I am not very satisfied with the way the story was adapted in some parts. But overall it was an amazing read.

An incredible and accessible book for young readers that helps explain the horrors of the Holocaust in a way that's informative and unforgettable