THE LADY WITH THE BOOKS  is a picture book  inspired by the  remarkable works of a Jewish woman, Jella Lepman (who, with her two children had to flee Germany during Hitler’s reign.)

One day, at the end of WW!!,  Anneliese and Peter, who lived in Munich,   joined a long line of people,  which they thought  was a food line.  They were surprised to find, that instead,  they had been waiting to view an  exhibition of 40,000 international books!  This international collection had been gathered by Jella Lepman.  This story imagines what it must have been like for children who attended this exhibition at the Haus der Kunst, the art museum in Munich.

This is a lovely and very meaningful story,  all the more engaging as we learn of Anneliese and Peter’s daily struggle to survive at the end of the war.  The illustrations are child engaging and expressive.

There is a short biography of Jella Lepman in the back of the book as well as information regarding the book collection itself. – mention of some best loved stories,  read  the world over as in their many translations.  Jella was a founder of the International Board on Books for Young People. The collection, (since 1983 is housed in Blutenburg Castle in Munich, Germany,)  has grown to  a lending library of 30,000 books.  She decided to have one American book translated into 30,000 German copies! That  much loved book  was  “The Story of Ferdinand” by Munro Leaf.

This book presents a wonderful perspective on  “unexplored history.”  By sharing books from many countries children are “building bridges” to a greater understanding of other cultures –  Very appropriate particularly in current times. It also  is an excellent model of “good character,” and thus useful when doing “character” studies.

Reviewed by Connie M. Smith, Breakwater School, Portland, ME. .