The Librarian of Auschwitz manages to introduce sparks of light and hope into one of the darkest periods of human history. Based on the true story of Auschwitz prisoner Dita Kraus, this is an awe-inspiring account of a young girl's mission to safeguard the meager collection of books the prisoners have managed to smuggle inside the gates of the concentration camp.

Entrusted with the weighty task of collecting and distributing these books without being detected by the guards, 14-year-old Dita is empowered with the ability to spread some peace and foster a sense of escapism among her fellow prisoners.

Written by Antonio Iturbe and translated by Lilit Thwaites, The Librarian of Auschwitz is at once haunting and inspirational. Readers will come away with a kind of reverence for 14-year-old Dita, the young "librarian" whose courage and determination in the face of unthinkable horror reflects the resilience of the human spirit.

According to a review in BookPage, "The daily horrors of imprisonment are palpable, but Iturbe blends in moments of joy, love and mystery—each all the more poignant for their rarity. An essential addition to any reading list focused on the Holocaust." 

School Library Journal notes, “This novel is one that could easily be recommended or taught alongside Eli Wiesel’s Night and The Diary of Anne Frank and a text that, once read, will never be forgotten.”