Jella Lepman and Her Library of Dreams: The Woman Who Rescued a Generation of Children and Founded the World’s Largest Children’s Library

by Katherine Paterson, Sally Deng (illustrator)

The inspiring true story of how one visionary woman used children’s books to help heal a generation of Germany’s children after WWII and went on to set up the International Youth Library and International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). Written by Katherine Paterson, the beloved and award-winning author of Bridge to Terabithia and many other children’s favorites.

Jella Lepman was a woman who stood her ground, challenged convention, and worked fiercely to transform her biggest dreams into reality.

In 1945, when Jella was tasked with what seemed like an insurmountable challenge―to create a haven of imagination and joy for the children of a Germany scarred by war—she turned to a steadfast companion: books. As a Jewish woman who had fled from the Nazis, Jella was determined to restore a sense of childhood to the young people who had only known conflict and violence. Despite constant obstacles, Jella persevered, and with the help of publishers and children from around the world, she amassed an extraordinary collection of 4,000 children’s books in pursuit of her mission to promote peace. The roving literary collection would eventually find a home as the International Youth Library in Munich, now with over 600,000 items, the largest collection of children’s books and materials in the world.

Jella Lepman and Her Library of Dreams is a thrilling and heartfelt exploration of one woman’s extraordinary belief in the power of books to transform young lives. Perfect for readers who enjoy illustrated biography, true adventure nonfiction, and empowering stories of women in history, this makes an outstanding addition to classroom and home libraries.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Picture Books, Childrens, Middle Grade, World War II

112 pages, Hardcover

First published February 4, 2025

About the author

Katherine Womeldorf Paterson is an American writer best known for children's novels, including Bridge to Terabithia. For four different books published 1975–1980, she won two Newbery Medals and two National Book Awards. She is one of four people to win the two major international awards; for "lasting contribution to children's literature" she won the biennial Hans Christian Andersen Award for Writing in 1998 and for her career contribution to "children's and young adult literature in the broadest sense" she won the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award from the Swedish Arts Council in 2006, the biggest monetary prize in children's literature. Also for her body of work she was awarded the NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature in 2007 and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal from the American Library Association in 2013. She was the second US National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, serving 2010 and 2011.

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am very late on reviewing this book. Finished it 3/22/25, reviewing 5/21/25 while home too sick to go to work, but well enough to type up a review.

However, with distance comes the realization that I don't recall much about this book, other than this is a post WWII true story, about a Jewish woman who was determined to teach the children of the losing side of the war that there is good out there and that they are worthy of love, compassion and a proper education involving books that are geared towards them. They have value, no matter the outcome of the war. ALL have value.

She fought an uphill battle to do what she felt needed to be done. She wasn't wrong, but what needed to be done wasn't cheap and it wasn't backed by many in power (is anything worthwhile EVER backed by those in power? I guess they don't like competition.)

What struck me the most after I finished reading this was, what age range would this reach and resonate with the most? It was rather advanced, but it's a picture book, so I am still not sure to be honest. Maybe for those who are old enough to read simple chapter books on their own, but who still enjoy being read to? Definitely something to be read with an adult for difficult questions and further discussion.

I had made a note that there was something mentioned that I deducted a star for, though I don't recall what it was, if I read it, I would remember and not disagree I am sure. Also, the difficulty with deciding age-range has made this a solid three stars for me. Not a bad book, quite necessary I would say, but I'm not sure if I would be recommending this more for the adults of the children than the children themselves.

As always, the adult should be vetting this before handing it to a young reader, as I don't know the particular reader/s and what they will enjoy/understand. I would recommend it though, as it is an important piece of history that shouldn't be forgotten and that we can continue to learn from in a positive way.

3, recommended and I might pick up a copy for myself to re-read as the message did resonate with me, stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for an eARC of this book to read and review.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal and inspiring.
About Germany, and the world, after WWII. Thoughts, hopes, dreams, and actions to help the children of the Nazis who tried to take over the world. How to help them? Mrs. Lepman believed children's books. The best from around the world. And even better than that? Let them be gifts from the countries theirs hurt.
A mix of illustrations and actual photographs.

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going into this knowing it was a long biography I honestly expected to have to push through it. I am very glad to say I was wrong. Jella’s story was captivating and she was tenacious! I very much enjoyed her habit of “forgetting” a key part of a process (usually asking permission) and just doing the thing anyway, if it was for the benefit of children. After all, as author Katherine Paterson points out: “Perhaps all accomplished women throughout history have at some point in their lives been labeled ‘difficult to work with.’”

[Jeannette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story I had never heard of. How a German woman was recruited to help children and families recover from WW2 in Germany. I loved that she recognized the power of books to heal traumatized children. I loved the photos of the books she gathered in her exhibition and that I have most of them in my lending library today. I never knew there was an International Children's Library and that it is now housed in a castle. Her whole life was such an interesting story.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books are a bridge to peace.
Jella was born in in Germany before the World Wars but was forced to move to England with her two children after her husband died and Hitler came to power. She continued working in publishing once there and when the war was over, she saw how much there was to be done for the children of war who also were without hope. She knew that they needed food for the soul as much as they needed food to eat. She was able to meet with an influential American general or two as well as Eleanor Roosevelt who had her introduced to such as University of Chicago, NYPL, MoMA, and the head of the Rockefeller Foundation. In time she became involved with the Young People's United Nations, the UN and UNESCO International Youth Library. Calls went out to most North American and European countries. "Norway replied that there were no books readily available but they had asked Norwegian children to look through their own shelves and send any books that they might want to share with" the children of war-torn Europe. Most donated books and also paintings done by children of the different countries that depicted things in their land which they wanted to share with the children in Germany. There are many photos both historical and 21st century interspersed throughout this amazing biography. Jella is the founder of International Youth Library and International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) established 11-18-51.
Katherine Paterson is also the author of Bridge to Terabithia and many other favorites.
The multicolored sketches by illustrator Sally Deng are simple, colorful, and expressive.
Well suited for reading by someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school or your local public library!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected proof on Adobe Digital Editions from Chronicle Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
#JellaLepmanAndHerLibraryOfDreams by Katherine Paterson @ChronicleBooks #illustratorSallyDeng @IBBYINT @bookstorealerts @CBCBook

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely illustrated middle grade biography about Jella Lepman, the founder of the International Youth Library, the world's largest children's library. Lepman was a single Jewish mother working as a journalist in Germany when WWII broke out and she fled, first to Italy, then England. Her work as a journalist and fluency and familiarity with Germany led her to being asked to join the military after the war was over, and to figure out how to serve Germany's women and children. An impossible task. After touring Germany, she saw how the war-ravaged children were desperate to feel like kids again, and she decided to create an international children's library and go on tour.

It's a wonderful, accessible biography for middle grade readers. It makes me want to read more about her life. And go Katherine Paterson! 91-years-old and still writing gorgeous books.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT an amazing story!!

I had never heard of Jella Lepman an her outstanding accomplishments [achieved in great duress and strife and in a time when women were still largely ignored], but I can tell you, after reading his important book [filled with both photographs and gorgeous illustrations], I will never forget her and all she did.

Books and history are SO important and Jella Lepman worked so hard, against all odds, to bring both to the children who had lost all [the author's note at the end is also pivotal to the story and I really appreciated that addition], showing everyone what needed and NEEDS to be done.

Very well done!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Katherine Paterson, Sally Deng - Illustrator, and Chronicle Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Wendy Post · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read about fulfilling the void of children’s books for German children after WWII. This caretaking of the soul became a worldwide movement thanks to Jella Lepman and her supporters to include Eleanor Roosevelt. Beautifully illustrated with photographs scattered throughout. Although accessible to children, I’m not sure of the appeal.

[Danette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating story from post-World War 2 Germany.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story about someone previously unknown to me.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars only in comparison to how much I LOVE the titles I have read for more personal reasons and given 4 stars, though the latter would be better suited to my demographic and usual reading habits! For what it is, it is excellent!

Say it with me everyone: if there's one thing I never stop talking about, it is how there are too many books published, really at every level, about World War II. And the problem with this, in my opinion, is that too many of them follow the same hopelessly over-simplified narrative: "The times were bad," (Why? Who caused the bad times? They just sort of passively happened, wHo kNoWs wHy); "Heavy focus on the minority of people who risked life and limb to change the bad things, in a way that can easily be mistaken to mean that MOST people fit this vaunted category of 'Those who resisted'"; "VICTORY! Happily ever after, and The End." Roll credits.

So what I really appreciate about this book, is how it's main plot points don't even really take off until AFTER the war, and answer, or at least attempt to answer, some of those questions that are so often glossed over in history books published for popular consumption: What was it like after the war? How did people live in post-war Germany? How did the victorious Allies think the country should be treated/molded, with an eye towards implementing enough change that it could be hoped history wouldn't repeat itself?

As a librarian, I thought Jella Lepman's story was fascinating and certainly worthy of wider recognition. The illustrations, particularly, are impressive and moving. I will be seeking out more information of the International Youth Library and the International Board on Books for Young People!

[Madison LibraryBookFamily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is scheduled to be published in February 2025. You should definitely keep your eyes open for it at your local bookstore or library. I am grateful for Chronicle Book and NetGalley who helped me learn of this daring hero who has impacted countless lives.

Jella Lepman was a Jewish German woman who escaped the war and moved to England with her son. After the war she was conscripted to return to Germany and find the best way to help the woman and children recover. With her past experience in publishing Jella went to work. She decided the best way to help Germany recover from the war was to return children's book to her home country.

Jella believed that "children all too soon would fall into the wrong hands if no help came from the outside world." With sheer determination and the cost of 20 stamps Jella was able to help her dream become a reality. She was instrumental in helping form an International Youth Library. Countries from all over the world sent books to be included in a display of hope and peace. Jella fought tirelessly to bring books to children in need and supply them with a safe place to read. She was blessed to work with important people like Eleanor Roosevelt, representatives from the Rockefeller Foundation, and many authors and illustrators. Jella's life work has had lasting impacts on libraries and on the International Board on Books for Young People.

[Stacy Atherton Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this was a really interesting book with beautiful illustrations (and even some actual photographs), I could do without the political undertones of "men are so awful; women are so much better" and the whole "Hitler promised to make Germany great again" (quite obviously aimed at a certain someone). Perhaps I'm misreading and these things weren't meant as I perceived them. Apart from these things, this book would be a really interesting read with older elementary and middle school studies. What a complement it could be to a study of WWII, but I would recommend it as a read-aloud that can be edited as needed.

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

With long text has a lot of information, making it a wonderful research, educational book celebrating such relevant historical person. Includes beautiful illustrations. 

[Daniela Anders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Die bewegende Geschichte der Gründerin der Internationalen Jugendbibliothek

**Inhaltsangabe Verlag:**
Vertrieben von den Nazis, kehrte Jella Lepman an der Seite der US-Armee als Beraterin für Frauen- und Jugendfragen 1945 nach Deutschland zurück. Beim Wiederaufbau Deutschlands setzte sie ihre ganze Hoffnung in die Kinder, denen sie durch Bücher Weltoffenheit und Toleranz vermitteln wollte. Auf ihre Initiative gehen die Entstehung der Internationalen Jugendbibliothek in München, das International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) und der Hans-Christian-Andersen-Preis zurück. Jella Lepman hat dem Kinderbuch in Deutschland und international entscheidende Impulse gegeben.
Katherine Paterson und Sally Deng erzählen das abenteuerliche Leben von Jella Lepman mit ermutigenden Texten und eindrücklichen Illustrationen, die junge Leserinnen und Leser in den Bann ziehen.
Die inspirierende Biografie einer Frau, die ihr Leben dem Kinderbuch widmete

**Meine Inhaltsangabe:**
Jella Lepman, einst als Jüdin aus ihrer Heimat vertrieben, wird von der US-Armee in das zerbombte Deutschland zurückgeschickt, damit sie dort als Beraterin für die kulturellen und erzieherischen Belange der Frauen und Kinder arbeitet. Nachdem sie sich selbst ein Bild von den schlimmen Zuständen in einigen deutschen Städten gemacht hat ist ihr schnell klar: die Kindern brauchen nicht nur Lebensmittel, Kleidung und eine sichere Unterkunft, sondern auch Nahrung für den Geist, also Kinderbücher! Damit beginnt ein eindrücklicher Kampf für die deutschen Kinder der Nachkriegszeit und für Kinderliteratur, der letztlich in der Gründung der Internationalen Jugendbibliothek gipfelte.

Erster Satz: »Der Flug war durchweg anstrengend.«

**Mein Eindruck:**
Zunächst einmal muss ich festhalten, dass dieses Buch rein optisch ein echtes Highlight ist. Großformatig und reich bebildert gibt es so viel zu entdecken. Neben wundervoll eindrücklichen Illustrationen in bunt, s/w oder nur mit einzelnen hervorgehobenen Farben glänzt dieses Buch auch noch mit echten Fotos aus der damaligen Zeit. Ich erfahre in der ersten Hälfte des Buches ganz viel über Jella Lepman, ihre Kindheit, ihr weiteres Leben, das sie irgendwann in die USA verschlägt, geflüchtet aus Deutschland, dem Land, das ihr und ihrer Familie so übel mitgespielt hat und in das sie nun zurückkehrt. Es ist sehr berührend, wie geschildert wird, was Jella Lepman in den zerbombten Städten sieht und erlebt, mindestens genauso sehr wie diese überaus bewundernswerte Durchsetzungskraft dieser Frau für das geistige Wohl der Kinder. Als Frau in der damaligen Zeit und dann auch noch im Einsatz für Kinderbücher, da musste sie schon ein dickes Fell haben. Gut, dass sie Unterstützung von Eleanor Roosevelt, Erich Kästner und einigen anderen namhaften Menschen bekam, denen Lepmans Ziel mindestens genauso wichtig war. Die zweite Hälfte der Geschichte befasst sich vor allem mit der Gründung der Internationalen Jugendbibliothek und des Internationalen Kuratoriums für das Jugendbuch (IBBY), was auch interessant ist, aber viel Bürokratisches zum Thema hat und dadurch deutlich trockener ist. Die erste Hälfte konnte mich mehr mitreißen und ich könnte mir vorstellen, dass es gerade jüngeren Kindern ab 10 Jahren da ähnlich gehen könnte. Dennoch: ein richtig tolles und vor allem auch optisch absolut überzeugendes Buch über eine starke Frau, die in einer sehr schwierigen Zeit für die Schwächsten gekämpft und damit viel erreicht hat, was bis heute nachwirkt. 4/5 Sterne.

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d be willing to bet you’ve never heard of Jella Lepman. You have probably also never heard of the International Youth Library either. Thankfully, Katherine Paterson, two-time Newbery Medal Winner and author of books like THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS, which I read and loved in 2023, and BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA, has shared this amazing woman’s story.

Jella was sent to Germany by the military after WWII to work with women and children. Jella wasn’t too thrilled with this assignment because, as a Jewish woman, she had no interest in returning to Germany after fleeing there nine years prior. Jella, born in 1891, was a very educated woman and accomplished pianist. Her passion for music was stilted by her father so her other passion, books was to become her life’s work. At just 17, she opened a reading room for immigrant children of the families who worked in the tobacco factory. She made sure she had books in various languages so all the children could learn to read.

Fast forward several years, she became a journalist and eventually the first woman editor of Stuttgarter Neues Tagblatt (New Daily Paper). She loved her job but eventually, a man named Hitler came to rule and Jella left Germany for Italy and eventually left Italy for England. This takes us back to her arrival in Germany to be an advisor on the cultural and educational needs of women and children.

Jella had a crazy idea that the children needed books. After many books were destroyed during the war, and many libraries toppled, Jella wanted to give children the joy of reading again. She met lots of resistance, but eventually made connections with publishers and found ways to get books into the hands of children again.

Jella eventually formed the International Board on Books for Young People, known as IBBY today, and created the International Youth Library now located since 1983 in the Blutenburg Castle. Called the Book Castle, it houses 600,000 items, the largest collection of children’s books in the world near Munich, Germany.

This book is the size of a picture book but is quite thick. At just over 100 pages, it reads more like a chapter book yet with illustrations on each page. This is not a book you will read in an evening storytime but over the course of several nights. The illustrations combined with actual photographs of Jella, her family, and the children reading books give kids a real look at the formation of the organization and the joy on the children’s faces when a book was placed in their hands. This inspiring story of this amazing and selfless woman is one that everyone should know.

[Julie Ditton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jella Lepman believed that "books are a bridge to peace". But more than that, she believed that children needed to nourish their souls as well as their bodies. It is easy to find biographies of famous people, but a biography of someone who has been all but forgotten by the general public is a true find indeed. Award winning novelest Katherine Paterson has penned a biography of a remarkable woman who is very important to the world of children's literature.

Jewish journalist Jella Lepman left prewar Germany only to return after the war on a mission to help the women and children left behind the wartime destruction. She wanted to put books in the hands of children to give them hope and let them learn about the world. Paterson describes how Lipman established the International Youth Library of children's books which started as a display of children's literature. but eventually became a reference library, where kids could come and read, have art lessons and book discussions. The author brings the reader into Paterson's struggles for funding and battles with bureaucrats. This engrossing book describes Lipman's other sucesses. As part of the library programing, she formed a Young Peoples United Nations. Eighty years later, Model UN programs are now a popular educational program. What began as an attempt to educate and lift the spirits of German youth, eventually grew and almost 40 years later moved from it's original 1949 home into an old castle. Today the "book castle" houses over 600,000 items. However, her biggest achievement was to form the International Board on Books for Young People. IBBY is still an important children' literature organization to this day. At 100 pages with dense print, this is not a young child's picture book. The book is marketed as a middle grade book, but I think that the reader should be on the upper end of the middle grade range. And even as an adult I found this book informative and interesting. The beautiful illustrations by Sally Deng fit perfectly with the time frame discussed in this book. They are mostly pen and ink with two tone coloration that is reminiscent of the illustrations to be found in the late 1940's and 5o's. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of children's literature, in WW2 history, or for young girls who enjoy reading about role models who made important changes.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Das Cover ist einfach unglaublich detailliert und spannend gestaltet. Der Zeichensti ist sehr sanft und zugleich kraftvoll. Das Format und die Haptik des Hardcover Buches haben mich sofort überzeugt und sind sehr hochwertig.

"Man braucht nicht nur Nahrung für den Körper sondern auch für den Geist" diesen Leitfaden hat die Deutschjüdin Jella Lepman für sich beschlossen. Sie ist aus Deutschland geflohen, als die Nationalsozialisten an die Macht kamen. Aus dem Exil wird ihr eine Aufgabe übertragen. Sie soll nach Deutschland zurückkehren und für die Kinder da sein. Es ist ist 1945, alles liegt alles in Schutt und Asche, kann Jella Lepman diese Aufgabe überhaupt schaffen und möchte sie das überhaupt? Doch diese starke und bewundernswerte Frau überlegt nicht lange, sie glaubt an die Macht der Bücher und Sprache. Sie wünscht sich für die deutschen Kinder wieder einen Ort der Freude. Und so schafft sie es viele Bücher aus allen Länder zu bekommen, als Spende. Immer wieder werden ihr Steine in den Weg gelegt doch sie gibt nicht auf. Es entsteht eine Wanderbibliothek und zum Schluss sogar die erste internationale Jugendbibliothek in München. Sie erhält auch Unterstützung von berühmten Persönlichkeiten.

Der Lebensweg von Jella Lepman wird anschaulich und spannend beschrieben. Auch ihre Arbeit wird immer wieder kindgerecht beschrieben. Ihre Arbeit ist ein wichtiger Grundstein für die Nachkriegszeit und zeigt, wie Vergebung und Aufopferung Früchte tragen kann. Das Buch hat mich tief berührt und die Illustrationen haben die Geschichte wunderbar unterstützt. Ich empfehle das Buch auf jeden Fall weiter.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging, inspiring, and hopeful, this biography about the woman who founded the International Youth Library in Munich, Jella Lepman, offers readers a great example of one individual determined to make a difference in the lives of those around her. Although she had left Germany when the Nazi Party made it impossible for Jews to live there safely, she returned afterward in 1945 with a mission. She saw the suffering of the children of Germany and decided to take action. Begging for books from publishers, she pulled together a traveling library for children. Like so many, she was convinced that books can heal and make a difference in readers. Perhaps they could even change minds and hearts and lead to peace rather than conflict and war. Paterson captures the personality of Lepman, who seems to have been quite a force to reckon with. How easy it would have been for her to ignore these children or leave their tending to others after WWII. But she didn't. The artwork, created with pencil and then colored digitally, has a timeless quality, capturing the time period and scenes from some of the beloved children's books that Lepman had in her treasure trove. Read this one, which is a longer picture book than usual with dense text and a strong narrative voice, when you're feeling discouraged about the world around you. While I tend to bury myself in books during those times, perhaps the better way would be to share books and spread love, hope, harmony, and joy by passing books on to others.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of Jella Lepman but she did great work in Germany after World War 2. The American government sent her there to help reeducate women and children after the war. It was a daunting task. Cities were destroyed, resources were scarce, and many people still wanted to believe the Nazis had done great things rather than accept the truth that they had played a part in the terrible atrocities. Jella knew that one way to restore hope in the lives of the children would be through books and exposing the German children to the way that children all over the world lived. So she decided to start a library. She faced insurmountable challenges since the government had basically provided her with no budget. But she was determined. She wrote to publishers and associations all over Europe and also America asking them for children's books. They all (eventually) agreed to send her books and also art drawn by children from their country. And thus Jella's library began.
Eventually her work evolved into The International Board on Books for Young People or IBBY. IBBY is a non-profit organization which represents an network of people from all over the world who are committed to bringing books and children together.

Jella's story is very inspiring - and provides lots of food for thought. Making sure that all children have books available that act as mirrors so they can see their own lives reflected in stories but also provide windows and doors into the lives of others is just as important now as it was in post-WW2 Germany.

[Meagan | The Chapter House · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting (and beautifully illustrated!) read about a woman I hadn't previously been familiar with, Jella Lepman. WOW! What a story, and what a life she lived.

It's a book about a whoman who loved books ... and that's something I can absolutely get behind (and relate to all too much, hehe). And for a "picture book," it was surprisingly informative and dealt with a lot of heady topics--and also illustrated, literally and figuratively, that kids are smarter than we give them credit for. A whole generation of children aged very quickly during WWII, and we saw that represented here.

There was one passing reference to Hitler wanting to make Germany great again--a not-so-subtle reference to American politics I didn't feel was necessary. That aside, I appreciated the book very much and thought it well worth the read.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a picture book, but well beyond children, I think it’s really for adults. I was surprised to feel provoked (politically, a mention about how denazification hadn’t quelled after the war and people wanted things to go back to normal, which is a side of things I haven’t heard much about in history lessons; a scenario in which kids vocalized the need to get rid of parents because they had allowed such horrors to happen in their country).

Jella Lepman is presented as this amazing figure who was unstoppable with her dreams (and finding ways to fund them, despite interest in bureaucratic circles). However I found it quite telling that for all she did for children worldwide, the book mentions her granddaughter Claudia didn’t think her grandmother liked her. Grateful for the balance, I’m reminded we need these types of details in biographical materials to remind us that we paint heroes in broad strokes sometimes and forget they’re human.

Lovely illustrations.

[Bina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Werbung | Es gibt Bücher, die nicht nur eine Geschichte erzählen, sondern uns auch ein Stück Geschichte näherbringen – und genau so ein Buch ist Jella Lepman und die Bibliothek der Träume.

Das Buch widmet sich einer außergewöhnlichen Frau: Jella Lepman, die nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg die Internationale Jugendbibliothek gründete und damit Kindern in einer zerstörten Welt Hoffnung, Freude und Bildung schenkte. Ihre unerschütterliche Überzeugung, dass Bücher Brücken bauen und Verständigung zwischen Kulturen ermöglichen können, ist beeindruckend und zugleich unglaublich berührend.

Das Buch ist eine Hommage an die Kraft der Literatur – und daran, dass einzelne Menschen mit Leidenschaft und Beharrlichkeit die Welt ein kleines Stück heller machen können. Für alle, die sich für Geschichte, Bücher oder inspirierende Persönlichkeiten interessieren, ist Jella Lepman und die Bibliothek der Träume ein echtes Herzensbuch.

[Glenna Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jella Lepman, a German Jew, fled Germany with her two teenaged children after Hitler's rise to power and her dismissal as a journalist and editor at a Stuttgart newspaper. In England, she eventually found work as a journalist, but was then asked to return to Germany after the end of WWII to help Germany's children overcome the scars of war by experiencing childhood once again. Jella turned to books to make this happen. She began with no money and little belief in her ideas of using children's books to promote peace, but persevered and eventually founded the International Youth Library, the world's largest collection of children's books and materials in the world. Her story is told simply, but fervently, often through her own words, and accompanied by wonderful photos embellished by the types of illustrations I nostalgically remember from the children's books of the times. The story is gripping; I found it impossible to put down and read straight through from beginning to end.

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never heard of Jella Lepman, or her extraordinary library project. I enjoyed learning about her in this well laid out book. While there is too much text to call it a simple picture book, the illustrations are very attractive and match the mood of the book so well. One particular sketch of children in post war Germany stood out to me, showing a group of nearly indistinct children, but all their eyes stand out, conveying their desperation. To be honest, I sometimes skip book about librarians, it always feels a little self congratulatory when we librarians rave about stories of how someone doing our job changed the world. Jella and her library, however, really did have an important impact on the children of the world, and the story is well worth reading.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was a lot of information in this book that I didn't know about prior to reading it. If I had had it in my hands 3 years earlier, it could actually have helped me with one of my Library School homework assignments! One of the aspects that I really liked is the use of illustrations to accentuate the actual photographs littered throughout the text, almost like some of the drawings were actually looking at the photos. The resilience of the children of Germany in post-WW II is astonishing and I think that what Jella did for them was important, even if she was worried in the beginning about returning to a country that had demonized her.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Chronicle for the digital arc.
Jella Lipman, a journalist who fled Nazi Germany with her two children, joined the military and as World War II came to a close, was given the assignment to go back to Germany and see how best to reestablish a society that had been crushed by the Nazi culture. Jella's plan was to start with the youngest members of German society, the children, in hopes their generation would not replicate the dysfunction of their parents. This book chronicles of her professional work as an advocate for children's books, first by campaigning for book donations from any and all sources, and then the coordination of facilities and development of programs which allowed the German children to share and to learn with children in other countries. It was definitely an exercise in bibiotherapy on a national scale. Where ever Jella established her programs, the children responded and new ideas flourished. She went on to found the International Youth Library and the International Board on Books for Youth (IBBY). Excellent book about an amazing woman who lived to change the world for the better through children and books.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fabulous story about a woman dedicated to making children’s books a bridge to peace. I have admired the author, Katherine Paterson,for as long as she has authored books. And I have fond memories of her visit to my school where she met with several classes to discuss her writing.
I had never heard of Jella Lepman, So I hope this book will reach a large audience since she was an exceptional individual. Thanks to #NetGalley and #JellaLepmanAndHerLibraryofDreams for this advanced digital copy.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was eye opening to me. I had never heard of Jella Lepman or the story behind helping Germany's children have access to children's books after their country had been destroyed by the war. The wisdom of reaching the hearts and minds of children whose country was looked down upon after Hitler had tried to invade so many countries, is astounding. The quote I liked in the book, "Every child is the start of a new life." The mission was to 're-educate' the children. Sounds similar to current day.

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

A long picture book that I read over multiple sitting. Katherine Paterson brings Lepman to life. I do wish there had been a bit more back matter: a timeline, suggestions for further reading. My biggest concern is that it will be hard for this delightful book to find an audience: I actually think adults will appreciate it the most but won't find it because it is a children's book. And kids will need adults to introduce them to the book; it's not one they will necessarily pick up on their own. Whatever your age, I do recommend this if you love children's books.