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“The Keeper of Hidden Books” by Madeline Martin is the story of two girls, Zofia and Janina and their beloved city Warsaw. The Nazis are destroying it and the libraries that record the history and importance of Warsaw. The two girls, best friends, decide to work at the biggest library in order to keep the ancient manuscripts and current books safe. Years ago books banned by Hitler had been destroyed in a huge fire in the center of Berlin.
The girls hide books under the floor board in their homes. Janine is forced to wear a yellow star to show she is a Jew. The boys at her school throw spit-balls into her hair and call her names. Zofia punches one of the boys causing a bloody nose, and her Papa, a doctor at the hospital, says she did the right thing. He helps her hide her books. The mayor is arrested and not heard from for months. Author Martin increases the tension as the Nazis occupy Poland. Soon no Jews are allowed to work at the library and Zofia’s father is arrested at his home. Zofia goes to the prison where he’s held and brings him food and a warm coat and scarf. These things are permitted.
She writes a letter to Dr. Weige telling him to contact her at the main library to continue her father’s work. Later she reads “The Time Machine” by H.G. Wells that Kasia has recommended for book club. It was in her brother’s sci-fi collection. The family has not heard from Antec since he joined the Polish armed forces. The next time Zofia goes to the prison with a package for Papa the guard says he’s gone.
At the next meeting of the book club Darek says they need a new name for the club. He suggests the Bandit Book Club and all the members agree. He chooses the next book to be read: “All Quiet On the Western Front”. With Darek’s help Zofia joins an underground resistance group, her code name Syrenka, and takes vows with her friends. She feels new hope now. At the next book club meeting they discuss the book and find it difficult to sympathize with the German protagonist.
When Zofia next goes to the library she and Mrs. Mazur look over the list of banned books that are to be removed from the catalogs. Those books with copies are to be sent in a cart to satisfy demands while those without duplicates are shelved on seldom- used shelves. Hitler youth boys appear and begin to destroy the books in the boxes meant to be warehoused.
When Janina’s family must move to the ghetto Zofia goes to visit her but a guard says the ghetto is closed, no one may go in or out. When Zofia goes to the library in tears Darek sees her and holds her tightly. At the book club meeting they discuss “Brave New World” and they all like it as it helps them escape their own troubles under the Nazis.
Author Martin writes with accurate truth that disturbs the reader. Still Janina keeps her optimistic attitude and invents her own travelling library, bringing and trading books to people who are thrilled to have them.
Zofia and Darek arrange to get typhus vaccine for Janina’s family as the crowding of people in the ghetto becomes worse. But this will be the last communication they can have as their contact has been closed.
Seventeen months later after Zofia graduates from her hidden high school she is surprised by a visit from Janina who is out after curfew and needs a place to hide. Zofia is thrilled to see her friend and helps her to eat and bathe and combs lice out of her hair. Zofia promises to get Janina’s family, mama and papa, out of there and she goes in via a back way to bring her mother and Janina out to her house. But Janina’s papa decides to stay at his place and is caught in the next round- up and arrested like Zofia’s papa was. Zofia vows to fight for their rights. Darek’s aunt is among them although she is an important library employee. Darek now has no one to care for or about him. He paints incredible landscapes of Warsaw before and after the occupation. Zofia admires them, and hopes some day they will be in the National Gallery.
Later she leads Janina’s mother to a new hideout, the hidden warehouse where hundreds of books are being stored, then destined for destruction. That evening Janina’s mother rests easily reading a copy of “Gone With the Wind”, loving the silence of the place.
The uprising of the Jews in the ghetto has begun and all day the sounds of explosions shake the windows of the library where Zofia works. At night all is quiet as the resistance re-tools their weapons such as flame-throwers and grenades. One night a timid knock on the door of Zofia’s apartment reveals a man carrying a woman’s body, begging for help. Janina, with three bullet holes in her torso. Zofia is shocked and awed when her mother takes charge and without opening her husband’s medical books, removes the bullets and patches up the wounds. When Janina awakes from the surgery she wants to return to the ghetto to help the uprising, though it’s over for now. After Janina is stronger Zofia takes her to the basement to be with her mother, a tearful reunion. After they walk home, speakers in the square blare out the song “Poland Is Not Yet Lost” and a crowd gathers to sing together. Zofia and Janina sing loudly, proudly.
The resistance decides to attack the retreating Germans on a certain day and hour. Derek is the chosen leader with a group that includes Zofia and Janina and other book club members. Two people partner with one gun and the other uses hand-made grenades. At first the Polish Home Army is the victor but the next day Zofia is hit by a bullet to her shoulder and she is carried to the hospital. The fighting continues for days and at one quiet moment Zofia and Darek are alone. He cradles her head in his arms and dances under the stars with her. The next day he leads Zofia and Janina to the sewer and tells them to go into the dirty water. When the lid is closed all is dark and they walk on blindly, trying not to worry about what is pushing against their legs. Eventually they emerge into sunlight close to the main library branch.
What happens to Zofia and Janina and Derek? Author Martin says her writing exists so that this suffering will never happen again. Does the main library re-open and are the hidden books saved to be read by future generations? Find the answers in this powerful book on the new fiction shelf of your local library. Author Martin writes other well-researched historical novels you can read as well.
