THE LADY WITH THE BOOKS

In 1945 Germany, when children were going hungry, Jella Lepman, a Jewish woman, returned to her country and created a traveling exhibit of international children’s books.

From that work emerged both the International Youth Library and the International Board on Books for Young People. This fictional story provides an accessible introduction to a person devoted to children’s intellectual and emotional development. As Anneliese notices women working to clear Munich’s bombed-out streets, her little brother Peter picks flowers growing out of the concrete, a gesture echoed in other spreads when symbolic red flowers appear floating out of books that the children will soon view. Although food is always on their minds, they enter a big building and find an exhibit of international children’s books. Anneliese remembers her papa reading Pu de Bär (Winnie-the-Pooh) to her, and Peter is excited to find a book about an elephant in a suit. On another visit they listen to “the lady with the books” translate The Story of Ferdinand into German; the anti-war theme resonates with Anneliese. The soft-edged illustrations are quite lovely, perhaps downplaying postwar-period hardships but also displaying Lepman’s optimism. Principal and most secondary characters are White; two children of color are also seen visiting the exhibit. Lepman’s work and legacy are explored in four pages of backmatter. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.4-by-18.8-inch double-page spreads viewed at 73.6% of actual size.)

A story for book-loving children and adults who believe in the power of literature.