It wasn't an extensive library. In fact, it consisted of eight books and some of them were in poor condition. But they were books. In this incredibly dark place, they were a reminder of less sombre times, when words rang out more loudly than machine guns...
Fourteen-year-old Dita is one of the many imprisoned by the Nazis at Auschwitz. Taken, along with her mother and father, from the Terezin ghetto in Prague, Dita is adjusting to the constant terror that is life in the camp.
When Jewish leader Freddy Hirsch asks Dita to take charge of the eight precious books the prisoners have managed to smuggle past the guards, she agrees.
And so Dita becomes the secret librarian of Auschwitz, responsible for the safekeeping of the small collection of titles, as well as the 'living books' - prisoners of Auschwitz who know certain books so well, they too can be 'borrowed' to educate the children in the camp.
But books are extremely dangerous. They make people think. And nowhere are they more dangerous than in Block 31 of Auschwitz, the children's block, where the slightest transgression can result in execution, no matter how young the transgressor...
Publisher: Ebury Publishing
ISBN: 9781529104776
Number of pages: 464
Dimensions: 198 x 127 x 27 mm
Weight: 315 g
Language: English (Language of text), Spanish (Original language of a translated text)
an unforgettable, heartbreaking novel - Publishers Weekly, starred review
Like Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, it’s a sophisticated novel with mature themes, delivering an emotionally searing reading experience. An important novel that will stand with other powerful testaments from the Holocaust era. - Booklist, starred review
Though no punches are pulled about the unimaginable atrocity of the death camps, a life-affirming history. - Kirkus Reviews, starred review
this novel is one that could easily be recommended... alongside Elie Wiesel's Night and The Diary of Anne Frank ...once read, will never be forgotten...A hauntingly authentic Holocaust retelling - School Library Journal
an engrossing read, seamlessly translated from Iturbe's original Spanish. Iturbe retains the dignity and full horror of Dita's situation, while creating a narrative of hope and bravery in the face of fear. - Compass Magazine
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The Impossible Fortune
When the Cranes Fly South
What We Can Know
I Who Have Never Known Men
We All Live Here
Heated Rivalry
The Housemaid
Yesteryear
Wild Dark Shore
The Long Shoe
By Your Side
The Librarian of Auschwitz is based on the life of an amazing teenager, Dita Kraus, who takes on much more than any young girl her age should. At fourteen she finds herself in the Family Camp at Auschwitz with her... More
This is not an easy book to read. This is hardly surprising because it is about Auschwitz. It is about one small act of resistance against the SS which was organised by a 15-year old girl, Dita Kraus, who lived to... More
This novel is based on the real life story of Dita Kraus. Dita describes how books were absolutely forbidden in the camp. She tells the story of how she became the "librarian" of 8 precious books and the... More
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