A love letter to librarians and an amazing look at an unknown group of women who played a part in WWI.

There is a lot of historical fiction that centers on WWII, and for good reason. But there is a lot less said about WWI and definitely not about the impact that it had on women and families. This wonderful book transports the reader to France during WWI when a cadre of women known as Cards (CARD - the American Committee for Devastated France) helped rebuild part of the French countryside and where Jessie "Kit" Carson helped change the world of libraries. At the same time, it is the story of a young woman in the 1980s trying to make her way as a writer and discovering the importance and sense of accomplishment found in research.

Books have a way of saving people. They are a refuge and a way of building community, just think about how popular #BookTok has gotten. During WWI, Kit Carson went to France and helped rebuild a community by doing story time outreach and rebuilding a library. At a time where many librarians considered themselves "gatekeepers" and chose what was "good" literature and "bad" as well as who should have access to said literature, this itself was a bold step. But as all good librarians today know, it is important to have a mixture of titles and that not everyone is going to agree on what should be read. As Carson says in the book, books can be a means of therapy, "it's why we read - to know that others feel the same, that we're not alone."

There is a wealth of depth to this story and it is a fascinating look at a time that was incredibly different. It was a world of philanthropists like Anne Morgan, daughter of JP, the upper echelon of society that sent their kids to boarding schools and summered in Europe but also impacted the rest of the world by building libraries and rebuilding communities. There was immense wealth, but there was a different concept of trying to build community than we see today. There was the world of quietly loving someone without letting the public know because it is seen as different. The LGBTQ world has always been there, they just had to hide more in the early 1900s than they do now (thank goodness for advances!). It was a time when children were seen and not heard and the idea of standing up for yourself, especially if you were a girl, was unheard of.

This book is also very meta. There are 2 stories happening - Kit Carson and the Cards in WWI France and Wendy Peterson, an aspiring writer and employee at the NYPL in 1987. Wendy is researching and writing the story of the Cards. A comment that her professor makes has to do with showing the tensions that were there, that it wasn't all positives. By the time he says this, Janet Charles has already covered that by showing how class, gender, and age play a huge role in how we approach life and how we are treated. This had a much more obvious role in the early 1900s, but it still exists today. The censorship that libraries and librarians are facing today is also seen in some of the dealings that Carson has with her own boss who has a different view of children's literature.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and glimpse into a time I didn't know a great deal about.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this copy of "Miss Morgan's Book Brigade."

In 1987, Wendy, an NYPL librarian, is working in the New York Public Library archives and finds mention of Jessie Carson, also an NYPL librarian, who worked as a CARD in France during WWI, creating a mobile library and bringing story times to war-ravaged children and families.

Wendy is determined to find more about Carson and her fellow CARDS during and after the war. Did Carson return to New York? Did she stay in France?

This book took 10 years to research and author Charles thankfully provided biographical sketches (including photos!) in the Author's Notes.

In 1918, Jessie Carson went from working at the New York Public Library to war-torn France. Her job is to help rebuild the library through CARDS. This is an inspiring tale of a young woman who is fighting the negative inner voice of her former boss at the NYPL while proving to herself her skills in rebuilding a library and helping people in a time of war. There is a dual story going on bringing us another librarian in 1987 who is having troubles of her own but finds solace in researching the librarian in 1918. I enjoyed this story and had not heard of Jessie Carson before. The blend of history and fiction was well written and I enjoyed the portrayal of Jessie. I received an advanced reader copy of this book through Net Galley.

I really enjoyed this novel of World War I. Told with dual timelines set sixty years apart, during World War I and the late 1980’s, Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade made these women seem as alive as they were more than 40 and 100 years ago.. Although I swore I had read enough war novels, this one seemed to grab me right from the beginning. How could I resist the idea that rebuilding a devastated society required not only food, supplies, and medical care, but also free access to books for everyone, especially children!

Although I thought the World War I story was much more compelling than the one set in the 1980’s, the two did work together to make an enjoyable novel. One of my favorites of the year so far!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Historical fiction with a heart. The fast-paced story of American women volunteers bringing books and hope to children in war-ravaged France. It’s a part of American history that no one talks about. An amazing piece of Americana.

Enjoyed this immensely, captivating historical fiction novel. I loved the dual storytelling of the courageous women.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historically sound novel. Parallel stories and points of view show resilience and strength that transcends timelines. Well researched and well formed character based story. Recommended for book clubs everywhere.

During WW1 a librarian takes a job with a group that helps people in war torn France. She delivers books to families in the area and helps in any other way she can.

This book follows two librarians from different time lines. We have a woman from the early 1900s who was a librarian for New York Public Library. She goes to France during WWI to help the war and make libraries. We also have a woman from the 1980s who is also working at New York Public Library who is discovering this WWI story.

This was a great book! It is based on real women who helped during the war. Jessie Carson made a lot of lasting changes in France for their libraries like having a children’s section. I liked the two different time lines. We see the importance of libraries and books throughout this book and I love books about books. I loved all of the characters. I do feel like the plot was just a bit drug on for me. Otherwise, I did really enjoy it.

I would recommend this book to people looking for a historical fiction book about libraries or WWI!

Thanks so much to netgalley and Atria books for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to Atria books, the author and Netgalley for the opportunity to review an ARC of this novel. This was a very well written and eye opening story surrounding the CARD in France which I had never heard of. This book helped me to realize that everyone even librarians were impacted by this raging war time and I’d everything they could to assist in the war efforts. This was a great historical fiction novel that included books and librarians.

This historical novel was a learning experience for me because I had never heard of the CARD volunteers in World War I. The story surrounding them I found to be very interesting. I really enjoyed The Paris Library by this author, and I have always enjoyed novels dealing with books and/or libraries, but this one somewhat missed the mark for me — perhaps it was because I found it difficult to connect to the characters. Nonetheless, this was a good read.

Loved everything about this. Great historical fiction. Beautiful cover. Gripping telling of the war and and women who assisted.

This is a book lovers book! I loved this beautiful story about the women that went to help in France during WWI, in particular, Kit Carson who started book mobiles and libraries after France had been destroyed by the war. I learned a lot about the time period and marveled in this lovely story based on real people. Any book lover will enjoy this novel about books and the comfort they can bring.

I received a free ARC ebook of Miss Morgan's Book Brigade from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

The soothing power of story shines in this novel. World War I France is in shambles when a group of mostly wealthy American women comes to rural France bringing healthcare, food, and books. The protagonist, Jessie "Kit" Carson, is not a wealthy debutante but she is a skilled and creative children's librarian. With her books she brings joy in the midst of war.

Balancing her tale is the more modern take of a wannabe writer with a job at NYPL. An unexpected find about CARD, the women's volunteer group in France headed by heiress Anne Morgan, provides her with an exciting writing topic. Her research brings Jessie and her fellow CARDs to life.

This novel is an homage to librarians and the importance of easy access to books.

Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade” by Janet Skeslien Charles is a captivating historical novel that weaves together two timelines. Set predominantly in Northern France during World War I, the story is based on the real-life librarian, Jessie “Kit” Carson, who worked for the American Committee for Devastated France (CARD). The meticulous research brings depth and authenticity to the narrative, while the characters—richly drawn and compassionate—leap off the page. This novel celebrates strong women breaking down barriers and leaving their mark on history, all against the backdrop of a wise dog named Max, the comfort of books, and a trip to Paris.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Miss Morgan's Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles

With a dual timeline that focuses more on the earlier timeline than the later timeline, this approach worked well for me. Afterall, this is the story of Jessie "Kit" Carson and the American Committee for Devastated France (CARD) while Wendy of the later timeline is trying to find out what she can about one of the lessor known (to her, at least) members of CARD, Jessie Carson. The 1918 and on timeline is Jessie's POV of her time in France while Wendy's 1987 timeline deals with her work in the very same library Jessie worked at before being employed by CARD, the New York Public Library.

Most of the women of CARD had wealthy families that allowed them to finance their time with CARD, often including trips back and forth across the ocean or at least for lavish stays in Paris (as lavish as wartime would allow the rich). Despite her lack of financial means Jessie's background and accomplishments as a New York librarian lead to Jessie being offered a paying job with CARD. With her limited means, Jessie could not afford to take the job without getting paid but the work is extremely important to her and although she signs up for a two year contract, she stays much longer than that, despite being denied more pay for all that she does for CARD.

We learn about many of the real women who volunteered for CARD and this historical fiction introduces us to some wonderful, brave and beleaguered characters who've suffered so much death and destruction near the Red Zone of France. More hardship is to come while Jessie works to develop some kind of library resource for the community she services. After German occupation of the area for several years, children missed out on schooling and social interaction that they sorely needed. Jessie can't complain that she doesn't have a functional library building (everything has been bombed and most things are rubble) when so many families of the area are living outside or in the ruins of buildings, caves, or wherever they can in the war torn landscape. Their need and their resourcefulness drives Jessie to do all she can for them, creating mobile libraries and bookmobiles with whatever she can scrape together.

The work of the CARD members is inspiring and as Wendy, an aspiring writer, researches the work of CARD, she is able lean on what she learns about the CARD, and the people they serve, to overcome some of her own trauma and move forward. Her part in the story fills gaps for us when it comes to the earlier timeline. I know I will be looking at more information and books about CARD, thanks to what I've learned in this book.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book, all opinions expressed are my own.

Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles followed Jesse Carson, a librarian originating in NY who moves to France to bring books to children via ambulances she calls bookmobiles during the Great War.

I enjoyed learning about Jesse Carson’s story.

4 stars.

This was a fascinating tale of two women and how their fates interconnected through time. Starting in 1918 and sweeping into 1987, it follows women who refuse to back down and take matters (and books) into their own hands. They find ways to combat book bans, sharing books despite personal struggles and dangers, and is a sweeping tale of heroism.

I really enjoyed this book. I mean, what’s not to love about female librarians 40 miles from the front who deliver books and help French families rebuild their lives during World War I? Based on a true story, I had no idea that this happened. It was eye opening and made it a hard story to put down.

Fantastic research and storytelling. I’d definitely recommend this to others.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles is fiction based on actual events. It takes place during the Great War and has a dual timeline set in 1987. Jesse Carson takes a leave from the NYPL to help build a library in devastated France. She travels there to join the American Committee for Devastated France, or the CARDS as they were known, founded by Anne Morgan and Dr. A M Dike. She had no idea that what she was to develop into a library had been totally destroyed.

Since a library was the last on the leader’s list of what needed to be, Jesse had to convince the 2 heads that a library for the building community was just as important as the rest of the work that had to be done. Jesse, nicknamed Kit, enlisted the help of those living there to help rebuild. In the meantime, she used ambulances as mobile libraries, traveling to outlying ares to hold story hour and check out books. She also helped the people who had lost so much to rebuild their lives and move on.

In 1987, Wendy Peterson is working at the NYPL documenting historical information. She comes across information on the CARDS, and bits about Jesse Carson. She wants to write a book and decides this is what she would like to tell people about. She has a hard time finding information about Jesse since she has seemed to have disappeared.
She sets out to hunt down what she needs and finds the last living member of the CARDS. From her she is able to piece together much of the puzzle.

The story is riveting and hooked me in right from the beginning. It is well written and flows nicely. I didn’t want to put it down. I also liked that she had a biography of each of the characters at the end of the book. The author has also written The Paris Library.

I would like to thank Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read this advanced copy.