A wonderful tribute to a group of women who worked tirelessly during WWII to help the people of northeast France to survive the destruction of their villages and farms. Most importantly, "Kit" being the real life librarian who helped to remind everyone of the need for stories to brighten our lives.

Ann Morgan recruited Jessie "Kit" Carson to join the American Committee for Devastated France; members called themselves CARDS.

The point of view changes throughout the novel between Jessie "Kit" Carson supporting French citizens with books/libraries/humanitarian aid in WWI and current day budding writer who works at a NY library (who stumbles upon the CARDS.

Author Janet Skeslien Charles did a LOT of research in writing Miss Morgan's Book Brigade. The Author's Note is several pages and contains many pictures.

Quite a while ago I read another book about college women who when to France to assist, but I can't remember the title of the book. The topic amazes me that women were providing humanitarian aid so close to the front lines that they assisted in moving civilians to Paris and other areas when the Germans broke through the front line. This book was also very, very good; rounding up, but somewhere between 4 and 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for introducing me to (yet again) a new to me author (although The Paris Library - also by Janet Skeslien Charles - has been on my To Be Read list). Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Atria Books for approving my request to read the advance read copy of Miss Morgan's Book Brigade in exchange for an honest review. Publication Date is 30 Apr 2024.

Resilent and brave...describe the f2male characters you’ll meet in this historically based book. I enjoyed how the author weaved the 2 storylines together. The story of Cards is a fascinating one especially if you like books about books and libraries like me!

This is a fascinating historical fiction with dual timelines focused on Jessie ‘Kit’ Carson- an appointed American librarian sent to war torn France in 1918 to rebuild villages during and after German occupation as part of the American Committee for Devastated France (CARD). Frequently left out of history lessons, the CARDs, led by Anne Morgan and sponsored by her grandfather JP Morgan and similar donors replanted fruit trees, distributed seeds for grain, oats, livestock, clothing, and household items, they helped thousands evacuate when the Germans pushed past the “red zone”, and they instilled hope that communities could once again flourish. At the time, libraries in France, run by an all male staff were for the wealthy and the scholars, unattainable for the general public and especially nonexistent after the German raids. Kit believed that the children in these areas had no “respite for daily hardships” they were “parched for books, for the spark of imagination that stories bring… though village children processed few material things , they had imaginations that needed to be nourished”. With many buildings in disrepair and minimal funding for anything aside from essentials, Kit created “mobile” libraries, bringing books to children and adults in areas that likely had not seen a book in years. You experience hope as these desperate families gradually began trusting Kit and her colleagues and began working towards a new future. I loved seeing through Kit and her colleagues Breckie (founder of the frontier nursing service), Lewis(debutante turned mechanic), Marcella (15 year old French villager who joins the CARDs), the two Annes ( head of CARDs), Cookie (the group’s cook), and several of the village widows, the change in the over 160 villages they aided, but also the sense of community with each other and the French citizens. This story is woven with a present day graduate student “Wendy” who uncovers the CARD’s story while filing historical information at her part time job at the NYPL. It is Wendy’s dream to become a published author, but as the novel progresses, her desire to share the CARD’s story and impact becomes greater.

There is a word used in the book “finifugal” which is described to mean the sorrow at the end of something, and wow was I sad to see the ending of this book. I wanted to know more about the lives of the CARD women, know how more about communities they build and the libraries that Kit changed. I found myself scouring google for more information on these women- wishing more people knew about these unsung heroines. I would also like to point out I knew some of Mary Breckenridge’s history from a project in nursing school , but I had no idea the depth to which she volunteered in WW1 France prior to founding the Frontier Nursing Service.

Thank you @atriabooks and @netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I fear I am becoming too predictable - 4 stars for this historical fiction novel (check) that is a book about books (check) featuring a fearless little known woman (check). I really enjoyed this and honestly wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did since I didn't love the author's previous novel.

This book is a dual timeline story. We follow Jessie Carson, a children's librarian who travels to war torn France during WWI in the hopes of providing children with books as an escape from their lives. In the 1980s, we watch as Wendy Peterson, an aspiring writer and NYPL employee who learns about Jessie and her involvement in the "Cards" - American Committee for Devastated France, started by heiress Anne Morgan.

I honestly don't think we really needed Wendy's story as Jessie's adventures as a salaried wartime "volunteer,' youth librarian, and newly in love woman were more than engaging. The author's description of war and its victims was honest and touching. Jessie's trajectory as a quiet, often stymied employee into a strong leader was impressive to behold.

The second half of the book really took off and I couldn't put it down at that point. Four stars!

Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade was another knock out since The Paris Library. I loved both of Janet Skeslien Charles’ novels so much. I am a sucker for books about books, libraries, and bookstores.

This novel reminds us how incredibly important books and libraries are. Books save people during difficult times; they bring people together. It is highlighted so well in Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade.

The characters reminded me that strong women working together makes a more equitable life and to not stop fighting. These librarians during WWI were heroes. Jessie “Kit” Carson was ahead of the curve; she fought for literature to be in the hands of everyone, no matter age or socioeconomic status. It does make me ponder with sadness that people in 2023 are still fighting for the right to read novels with all the book bans.

I give this novel 4.5.

Thank you to the Janet Skeslien Charles, the publisher, and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for a review.

This beautifully written dual timeline histfic tale focuses on the true story of librarian Jessie Carson, who went to WWI torn France to establish children's libraries ... and disappeared afterward. Unforgettable!

This was a fascinating story about the CARDS during WWI. I had never heard of Jessie Carson and can't wait to learn more about her. I enjoyed the dual timeline of 1918 and more present day. Another thing I enjoyed about Kit is that she had her "minds library". There were so many characters that I enjoyed in this story!



Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

This was a heartwarming (and at times, heartbreaking) historical fiction that followed Jessie Carson, a New York Public Library librarian who went to France during WW1 to establish children's libraries in the war torn country. Told in dual timeline as Wendy, another NYPL librarian, learns about the CARDS and Jessie in 1987. Wendy wants to unravel the mystery. This book is about the power of books and is a beautiful story. This ARC was provided by Atria Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A transformative, historically based story of the human spirit that comes from a fresh and fascinating perspective.

CW: sexual assault, dismemberment, war

In 1918, children's librarian Jessie Carson goes to France to help the CARDs, a group of wealthy women volunteers, rebuild during World War I. Unlike her colleagues, she is being paid to be there, and is tasked with rebuilding a library. In 1987, Wendy Petersen comes across Jessie Carson as she is archiving information at the NYPL. Carson seems to have disappeared after her stint in France. Can Wendy figure out where Jessie went?

I love books about libraries and books. The fact that this book is actually based off of real people is amazing. The author also included the pictures of some of the characters which really brings it to life. This book celebrates the contributions that these women made when they are usually swept under the rug. I loved Jessie so much, and I will be thinking of these brave women for a long time to come.