Dita Adler is the librarian of Auschwitz. She is part of a group of Jews that has been brought into the family camp at Auschwitz, which was used as propaganda to make humanitarian organizations believe that the Jews were being well-treated in the camps. The family camp has been allowed to create a school, but books are illegal. Nevertheless, eight books have been collected, and Dita, a 14-year-old girl, is in charge of distributing, caring for, and hiding these eight precious volumes. If she is found with the books, she will be killed. This story of courage and hope in the face of unspeakable horrors will remind you of the power of books to change the world. There is a reason where dictators burn books. Books contain dreams, hope, ideas, and information. Those with books are powerful, and those who allow books and libraries disappear are allowing themselves to be controlled. Dita's story reminds all of us how important it is to support the freedom to read and the importance of libraries. This extraordinary story is a fictionalized account of Dita's experiences and the experiences of others in Auschwitz. It is a powerful addition to any collection of Holocaust stories. Highly recommended!
The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe
Dita Adler is the librarian of Auschwitz. She is part of a group of Jews that has been brought into the family camp at Auschwitz, which was used as propaganda to make humanitarian organizations believe that the Jews were being well-treated in the camps. The family camp has been allowed to create a school, but books are illegal. Nevertheless, eight books have been collected, and Dita, a 14-year-old girl, is in charge of distributing, caring for, and hiding these eight precious volumes. If she is found with the books, she will be killed. This story of courage and hope in the face of unspeakable horrors will remind you of the power of books to change the world. There is a reason where dictators burn books. Books contain dreams, hope, ideas, and information. Those with books are powerful, and those who allow books and libraries disappear are allowing themselves to be controlled. Dita's story reminds all of us how important it is to support the freedom to read and the importance of libraries. This extraordinary story is a fictionalized account of Dita's experiences and the experiences of others in Auschwitz. It is a powerful addition to any collection of Holocaust stories. Highly recommended!
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This Heart of Mine by C. C. Hunter Leah is walking around in heart in a backpack, literally. Because a virus destroyed her heart, she has an artificial heart keeping her alive until she can receive a transplant. Leah knows the odds aren't good, so she has learned to live for the day and do the things she loves, which even includes kissing the boy she has crushed on for years, Matt. It seems like a miracle when she does get a new heart, until she discovers the donor was Matt's twin brother, Eric. Supposedly, Eric killed himself, but Matt is sure it was murder and is determined to discover his brother's killer. As both Leah and Matt are plagued by dreams of Eric's last minutes, they decide to work together to find out the truth. The more time that they spend together, the closer they become. However, when all the truth about Eric's death and their own secrets are revealed, will Leah and Matt's be heart be strong enough to survive?. I loved this mystery/romance from C. C. Hunter. It delves honestly into everyday issues such as how challenging it is when you are growing into a new person, how you can trust your heart to someone else, and how to live for tomorrow. The romance between Matt and Leah will make you swoon, and their search for Eric's killer will have you at the edge of your seat. This is a remarkable book. Highly recommended! Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson At age 9, Mary Addison was convicted of murdering a baby in her mother's care. After the incident, Mary almost completely stopped speaking. Now age 16, Mary is living in a group home, working in a nursing home, and studying to take the SATs. After weeks of sleeping with Ted, a boy who also volunteers at the nursing home, Mary discovers she is pregnant. The state won't let a child-killer keep her baby, so Mary finally decides to speak out about what really happened that night. Who killed the child, Mary or her mother? This gritty and terrible thriller will suck you in and spit you out as you struggle to figure out what really happened that terrible night. For those looking for a frightening thriller, this is the book to pick up. Chasing King's Killer: the Hunt for Martin Luther King Jr.'s Assassin by James Swanson The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. still haunts our nation, but sadly, I can't remember learning much in school about the civil rights movement or his assassination. Swanson's fast-paced book chronicles the life King, focusing on his leadership of the Civil Rights Movement until his final breath. Alongside King's journey, we learn about his killer, James Earl Ray. Although Ray was a life-time criminal, his first murder was of King. The final portion of the book tells the store of the manhunt for King's killer. Filled with pictures from King and Ray's lives, this book puts you in the front seat of the life of one of America's greatest leaders and one of the most tragic events in American history. I learned so many fascinating things, and I could not put the book down. Swanson is a master of bringing history to life, and I highly recommend this book! The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord For Lucy, the summer before her Senior year keeps getting worse. Her mother's cancer is back with a vengeance. Her boyfriend put their relationship on "pause." She is so mad at God that she can't even pray. Now, her mom wants her to spend the summer not at their Bible camp, but at the camp across the lake that works with children struggling with tough issues. Lucy expects to hate working at the camp and find little in common with the counselors there, but instead, she discovers true friends who have lived through pain and loss and will walk that road with her hand in hand. She finds a boy who likes all of her, even her ugly parts. She unearths secrets about her family that will forever change her image of her mother. Through it all, she discovers just how deep her faith is. I found myself tearing up multiple times as I read this powerful novel about faith, friendship, and family. It is an honest exploration of living and loving in shadow of death, and having lived through similar struggles, I appreciated its honesty. I loved it. Highly recommended! The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert For seventeen years, Alice Prosperine and her mother lived a vagabond existence, constantly moving due to the bad luck that always seemed to follow them. When Alice's grandmother, the reclusive writer of the dark and terrible Tales of the Hinterland, passes away on her mysterious estate, known as The Hazel Wood, Alice's mother is sure their luck has changed. It has, but unfortunately, it got worse. When Alice's mother is kidnapped, she starts to discover that her grandmother's twisted tales may be more than just stories. If Alice wants to reclaim her mother, she will have to find the one place her mother warned her never to go, The Hazel Wood. There she will discover her story is even more terrible than she could imagine. I devoured this dark and twisty stand-alone fantasy about a girl in search of her story. The language was biting and frightening, and I was as mesmerized as the fans who loved the difficult-to-find tales written by Althea Prosperine, Alice's grandmother. This is a fantastic addition for those who love a dark fantasy, and I like it even better knowing that there will be a book two. After the Shot Drops by Randy Ribay How far would you go to help a friend? How much would you give up to be successful? What would you do for a win? Bunny and Nasir used to be best friends and teammates. That ended when Bunny left his school and best friend to attend an elite private school. Now Bunny is leading a winning team heading for the state championship, but he feels out of place at his new school and misses his best friend. Nsir is now stuck on a losing team and is spending more time with his cousin Wallace, who is constantly in trouble. When Wallace and his grandmother are facing eviction, Nasir is forced to decide how far he is willing to go to help him. As the stakes of the games get higher, Bunny and Nasir are forced to make life-changing choices. This heart-stopping story of basketball, best friends, and betrayal is magnificent. The basketball scenes are action-packed, and Bunny and Nasir's complicated lives and friendship will have you hooked from page one. This is another fantastic basketball story. Highly recommended! |
AuthorMs. Smith has been the librarian at Washington HS in Sioux Falls, SD, since 2005. She enjoys reading, watching K-Dramas, Harry Potter and hanging out with her family. Archives
October 2021
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