This was a beautiful and heartbreaking story of love, loss, courage, resiliency and friendships. Based on a true story, it follows Jessie Carson, an American librarian, as she brings books to a devastated town in France during WWI. It is told in dual points of view switching between 1917/1918 and 1987.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Miss Morgan's Book Brigade follows the story of Jessie Carson as she joins the effort to aid France in the Great War. Wendy Peterson is looking to write her first novel when she comes across the story of the CARD's and Jessie in the 1980's. Can she bring these miraculous women to life and do them justice.

This book was a phenomenal example of how good historical fiction can be. I was invested in both women's stories completely and really empathized with boths plights. Jessie felt alive and like an everyday woman wanting to make a difference by escaping things outside of her control. Wendy was a quiet loner who loved books more than people but made an effort to change that. This book reminds you that finding the weird obscure fact about history can change your life in a way you didn't even know was possible. I loved every second of reading it and cried several times out of sorrow, joy, and so much more. Amazing!

One of my favorite books of 2021 was Skeslien Charles’ novel, THE PARIS LIBRARY. So, I was thrilled to hear she had a new novel also about books and war. This time the setting is France during WWI with ties to real historical people and events.

Miss Morgan refers to Anne Morgan, the daughter of well-known financier, J.P. Morgan. Even though she was part of one of the wealthiest families in the world, she still was a staunch supporter of women’s rights and was the founder of the American Committee for Devastated France, an international group that helped rebuild French communities that were along the front lines of the war.

The Book Brigade refers to Anne’s hiring of Jessie “Kit” Carson, a children’s librarian from the New York City Public Library to come to France and establish libraries. This may have been her original purpose, but she also served in many other roles during her service in France. After ambulances were no longer needed, she turned them into bookmobiles, traveling into Red Zones to bring books to families returning to their homes or what was left of their homes.

Even though this is a work of fiction, this book is based on these two real people and others. An extensive author’s note at the end of the book explains these real people and their tireless work to bring books, food, and healing to those in France during WWI.

This dual-timeline story begins in January 1918 in Northern France with Jessie Carson just arriving in France after being summoned by Anne Morgan to bring books to children in areas devastated by war in France. Jessie is very green when it comes to living in a war zone but is determined to get to know the families and children by sharing a love of books. She is soon conducting story hours and traveling in dangerous areas to deliver books and other crucial items to families who refuse to leave their homes.

“But Marcelle reminded me that books were a lifeline. In the devastated zone, I vowed to make sure every child had the much-needed pleasure, spark of imagination, and escape that books brought. I would lead story hour and create a library. The only question was how.“

In alternating chapters, we meet Wendy, an employee of the NYPL in 1987, who works in Remembrance, photographing, scanning, and cataloging documents for future generations to easily access and read. While working she comes across a story about the women of Anne Morgan’s CARD organization and is interested in learning more. Wendy is currently attending college to be a writer and wonders if this is the story she should be writing. As Wendy learns more about Anne Morgan and Jessie Carson, readers are taken back to WWI to learn more about their story.

I appreciated learning about this little-known group of women who worked tirelessly to keep families along the dangerous war front fed, educated, cared for, and loved. As the fighting became closer, they also worked in make-shift hospitals helping the wounded soldiers, offering a comforting hand or a listening ear, or working alongside the nurses and doctors to save the wounded.

Many may think that setting up libraries while a war was raging nearby may seem frivolous. But books and reading can be a balm to those who have suffered a loss, for those who are in pain, or for those who need to feel transported to someplace new. Reading books is an important part of learning for children of all ages. A library is an important place in any community whether it is a small town, a neighborhood, a city, or a war front. The author Janet Skeslien Charles stated this:

“Libraries are the foundation of democracy. They are among the few places where people may enter for free and enjoy culture, whether through books, author readings, games, classes, computers, films, or music. I urge you to support your local library and librarians by raising your voice about the importance of reading and accessibility to books and culture.”

I couldn’t agree more. As a lover of historical fiction and a staunch supporter of books and libraries, I highly recommend this story of a little-known group of women who fought the war in a much different but important way.

One of the reasons I love to read historical fiction is because it explores nuances of history that have been untouched.
I had no knowledge about the CARDS or the work they did.
I enjoyed reading about the challenges and growth of both the spirited American and French women during WWI.
I also loved that the novel revolves around the love of books and reading and the happiness both bring, no matter what’s going on in the world.
That’s the true message of the book.

Miss Morgan's Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles is an example of beautifully told historical fiction set in two timelines, WWI (1918) and 1987. The story is of courage, grit, friendship, and love told through the POVs of Jessie in 1918, an American librarian that is stationed just 40 miles from the front line of the war and Wendy in 1987, a librarian at the New York Public Library. I read a lot of historical fiction and always like finding out about new things, in this book I learned about the CARDS, the American Committee for Devastated France created by Anne Morgan (daughter of JP Morgan) and Dr. Ann Murray Dike. CARD was a volunteer relief organization that helped France recover from the destruction of the war.

A lovely story taking place in The Great War and sixty years later in NYPL., I especially enjoyed the writing of the war.
I very much appreciate the Books on Books. Thanks very much @NetGalley@AtriaBooks@ MissMorgansBookBrigade

While I don't usually choose historical fiction books, I love books about librarians. It is told in dual timelines: 1918, where we follow Jessie "Kit" Carson as she fights to establish children's libraries during wartime, and 1987 when Wendy Peterson discovers Jessie and tries to learn what happened to her. I really loved the 1918 timeline, but didn't connect so much with the 1987 one. Maybe it was that I listened to this on audio, and maybe it was the timing of the book in my life. This is one that I feel historical fiction lovers would really enjoy.

I'm definitely in my historical fiction era and enjoying a lot of historical books recently. It had been a bit since I read a WWI book. Since I enjoyed The Paris Library, I went in expecting to love this one just as much. And I absolutely did.

I’d really give this 3.5 stars. It would have gotten higher but (and I seem to be in the minority) I really don’t think that historical fiction books need sex scenes. It’s not as explicit as some but really not necessary and does nothing to advance the story line. Romance is fine… wine and dine and be sappy over each other but we don’t need more than that for the story. Avoid this book if you are sensitive to the subject of rape or near rape. There is mention of an interrupted rape in the book.

This is a great fictional story about the CARDs and the work they did in war torn France in WWI. Going to another country to create libraries and book mobiles out of nothing to bring some joy, distraction, and entertainment to people who have lost everything and are living in literal ruins while being so close to battle… it is a very brave and noble thing that was done and should be celebrated in both fiction and non-fiction. As such, I’d recommend this book to anyone who loves books, libraries, and the joy of reading… but who also wants to learn about some historical badass women.

Well-loved and highly respected as an author by yours truly, I will of course read anything that Janet Skeslien Charles writes, even if it's a grocery list. Her new stand-alone novel is wildly more addictive and interesting and proves beyond a shadow of a doubt just how amazing and versatile of an author she is. I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough and really enjoyed the main character, a plucky American heroine who believes that in the power of books. Highly recommended and can't wait to own this one in print! Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher. It was such a treat!

Thank you net galley for allowing em thread this book! Overall I found this story very engaging and a light and easy read for a WWI book. I enjoyed the WWI timeline with Kit more compared to the timeline with Wendy. I have read many historical novels taking place in WWI and WWII and don't have many takeaways from this book other than that I found the aspect of following characters living in a war relief area to be an aspect I haven't focused on often. I had a hard time truly connecting to any of the characters, which is why this isn't the most glowing review ever, but I would rate it as an easy 3 star and I feel like it has a very wide audience.

An excellent view of historical fiction that has not explored yet. I enjoy reading about Jessie Carson and what she endured in Paris. Very fascinating read!

MISS MORGAN'S BOOK BRIGADE by Janet Skeslien Charles (The Paris Library) is a work of historical fiction based on the true story of Jessie "Kit" Carson, an American librarian who worked with the American Committee for Devastated France (CARD) during and after WWI. It is a truly educational story as it explains about the CARD organization and takes place in or around an area in the north of France called the Red Zone which is still uninhabited 100 years later due in large part to the quantity of unexploded ordinance. More importantly, this story is also inspirational as Kit is exposed to wartime trauma and devastation, but finds a strong community of women who serve by providing food, clothing, furniture, ambulance rides, and so much more. The cast of characters includes nurses, fundraisers, chauffeuses, and many local villagers, each with a moving story to share. In addition, the novel shifts roughly 70 years later to when Wendy Peterson works at the NYPL and comes across archival material about the CARDs; she decides to write about them, ultimately befriending the last living CARD member. Charles clearly loves books and she cleverly intersperses some of Kit's favorite quotes, like these from Anne of Green Gables: "Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?" And, "As Anne Shirley would say, 'Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.'" I am eagerly looking forward to the next "library" story which Janet Skeslien Charles chooses to tell. 4.5 stars

The author includes some relevant links for interested readers. Here are a few more:
https://www.themorgan.org/exhibitions/anne-morgans-war
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/red-zone/

So good! I learned a lot about CARD and all that those women did to help in France during WW1. I had never heard of them before.
Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced readers copy.

This is also a story of love, hope, and anticipation. There are several relationships woven throughout the story: parents and their children, siblings, young couples, friends, and colleagues. Ms. Charles' writing is highly descriptive and exquisitely delivered. The mise en scène is spot on. One hears the roar of Big Bertha at the not so distant battlefield, smells the acrid odor of spent munitions and tastes the unsatisfying cup of coffee with its added chicory. Ms. Charles' extensive historical research was obvious in the story's delivery. This is a lovely book for fans of historical fiction and the written word.

I especially enjoy reading historical fiction books that feature strong and intelligent women amd ones that teach me something that I hadn’t already known. Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles provided all that for me and then some. I had previously read this author’s book, The Paris Library, and had enjoyed it immensely so I was excited to read this one. It was an added bonus for me that Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade also focused on France and its libraries. Janet Skeslien Charles based Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade on the true story about Jessie Carson, a former children’s librarian at the New York Public Library and an essential and valuable member of the American Committee for Devastated France or CARD. I had never heard of CARD or Jessie Carson before reading Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade but was so glad that Janet Skeslien Charles was able to enlighten me about their existence and contributions. Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade was told in a dual time line of 1918 and 1987 through the voices of Jessie Carson and Wendy Peterson, two very determined and strong women.

In 1918, Jessie Carson had been working at the New York Public Library for two years in the area of the library that was designated as the Children’s Library. Jessie worked under the direction of Winnifred Smythe, a legend and force to be reckoned with in her own right. Working under her boss, Winnifred Smythe, Jessie Carson almost always felt intimidated by her and under appreciated. Jessie’s ideas and suggestions were usually ignored by Miss Smythe and she was rarely if ever taken seriously by her boss. While working at the children’s library in New York, Jessie also volunteered at the National League for Women’s Services. It was there that she caught the attention of Anne Morgan. Miss Morgan was not only the daughter of J.P. Morgan but she was also the treasurer of the National League for Women’s Services. Anne Morgan had also been influential in helping establish and develop CARD in France. Miss Morgan had recruited Jessie to become a member of the American Committee for Devastated France. Anne Morgan recognized the qualities Jessie possessed and the role Jessie Carson could play in establishing libraries for children in war torn France. Jessie never hesitated to accept the challenge of this opportunity and readily enlisted. She informed her boss of her plans and took a leave of absence from the New York Public Library. Jessie Carson committed to serving two years in France as a member of CARD. Winnifred Smythe was puzzled why Jessie Carson had been chosen over herself but Jessie ignored her jealousy and embraced her journey to France in a positive and exciting manner.

Jessie took the long journey by sea to France and was met by a fellow member of CARD who transported Jessie to the war-torn village of Blerancourt where the headquarters for CARD was located once she disembarked. The CARD member who chauffeured Jessie to Blerancourt would become one of Jessie Carson’s good friends. Blerancourt was not far from the war zone and fighting. Upon her arrival, Jessie was given the nickname of Kit. That name stuck with her the entire time she served as a member of CARD. The organization was run by both Anne Morgan and Dr. Anne Murray Dike, or Dr. M.D. as everyone called her. It became apparent almost immediately that Carson believed that children could temporarily forget their fears and all the horrors of war they had witnessed through the magic books provided. From day one, Jessie Kit Carson was determined that somehow she would provide all children regardless of their socioeconomic status a place where books were openly displayed and all children were able to attend and participate in story hour. In the libraries that Kit established, all children would be granted permission to borrow books. It was a big undertaking but Kit was up for the challenge and so much more.

Seventy years later, in 1987, a young woman named Wendy Peterson was working at the New York Public Library. She had been working there for the past two years but her real goal was to become a successful author. Wendy worked in the Rememberance Department. One day, one of her very close friends who worked with her and she had romantic feelings for, handed Wendy a box that was adorned with both an American and a French flag. Under the flags the box was labeled “Under Two Flags, a weekly bulletin of the work in France and in America, from the American Committee for Devastated France.” It was from the years of 1918-1924. Wendy was intrigued and quite curious about what the box’s contents would reveal. Upon further investigation, Wendy discovered that the bulletins contained in the box mentioned a woman named Jessie Carson who had worked at the New York Public Library back in 1918 and had traveled to France during the Great War as a member of CARD with the intention of reimagining the way libraries functioned in France especially for the children. From that discovery, Wendy became determined to uncover everything she could about Jessie Carson and the role she played in CARD. As she researched and tried to find out all she could about Jessie Carson, Wendy also found information about several other brave women who were involved in CARD. Upon learning about Jessie Carson and CARD, Wendy decided that this was who and what her debut book would be about. Wendy wanted to learn everything she possibly could about these brave and resourceful women and share their story with the world at large. History had forgotten about them but Wendy was determined to tell their story.

Before reading Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles, I had not heard of either Jessie Carson or CARD. The valiant and selfless acts these women performed during the Great War were highly impressive. Jessie Carson was a woman that was ahead of her times in her thinking and ideas. She not only existed but contributed so much to the way libraries operate today. Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade was both inspiring and compelling. It touched on the effects of war, loss, friendship, rebuilding, love, the power of books, the contributions the women of CARD provided and the courage these women possessed. It was well written and impressively researched. I really enjoyed learning about another aspect of the libraries in France. If you enjoy historical fiction books and a book that was written about books and libraries then I know that you will enjoy this book. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Atria Books for allowing me to read Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Miss Morgan's Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles 3.5 stars

As the Great War rages, Jessie Carson takes a leave of absence from the New York Public Library to work for the American Committee for Devastated France. Founded by millionaire Anne Morgan, this group of international women help rebuild devastated French communities just miles from the front.

Miss Morgan's Book Brigade is based on a true story of a group of (mostly wealthy) women that are in war torn France during WWI helping civilians on the front line. Anytime there is a fresh take on wartime historical fiction, I am all in. MMBB was a departure from my normal heavier historical fiction reads in that it felt more like a book on community and resilience. While there are plenty of sad moments, the book felt hopeful and warm. Where it lacked a little for me was the action and romance, they felt anti-climatic and more of a tick box to check off rather than developed storylines.

If you love books about books, dual timeline / well researched historical fiction, and female friendships, give Miss Morgan's Book Brigade a read!

Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade was a wonderful book. WWI is one of my favorite historical periods — not so much the battles as everything that surrounded the war — the events that started it, how it impacted lives around the world, the aftermath, etc. As a bibliophile, I enjoy books about books, libraries, bookstores, etc. So, this book combined some of my favorite topics. Making it even better is that large portions of the story are based on actual events and people, and these events and people are largely unknown, but should be better known. I was unfamiliar with CARD and Jessie “Kit” Carson and her colleagues, but I am glad I was able to learn about them.

Based on real events and people, Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade is an inspiring story set during the First World War. Women from America led by Anne Morgan, J.P. Morgan’s daughter, entered war torn France to nurse the soldiers and aid villagers displaced by German invaders . This is a bit of history I have never heard about before reading this book. I appreciated the closing chapters with information about the real people this historical novel was based upon. I had never heard of the red zone that was made uninhabitable to this day. I highly recommend this book to readers and thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced digital copy.

Jessie 'Kit' Carson, an American librarian, changed the library system of France for the better during and after World War 1. She left her position at the New York Public Library to join the American Committee for Devastated France (CARD) in 1918 to start a children's library, something unheard of in France. This group was founded by Ann Morgan, of the famous Morgan family, who also funded the organization to help the local villages during the War. The other story line is set in 1987 where Wendy Peterson, who also works for the NYPL, discovers the Cards and wants to share their stories with the world.
I loved learning about this real organization and real historical figures who made a real difference in many, many lives in the northern region of France. The author shares which characters were real, or composite, and what fictional liberties she made to the history. I really liked that the more contemporary storyline took place in 1987, when you had to physically locate books and articles and couldn't just do an internet search.
Kit, Ann, and the rest of the group were fascinating by what they accomplished and had to overcome daily. They brought libraries as well as medicine and food to very poor villages and improved their way of life.
I highly recommend this book if you want to learn about real life heroines in a war zone!

Thank you Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.