The Little Wartime Library

Critics Review

• A heartwarming story of how friendship and the written word sustain us in the toughest times. Based on a little-known true story, Kate Thompson’s meticulous research and love of libraries shine through. Perfect for fans of Dear Mrs. Bird.

  Janet Skeslien Charles, author of The Paris Library

• Gripping, emotional and uplifting

  Gill Paul

• A captivating tale about the power of libraries and how they connect us . . . Meticulously researched, readers will be entranced by this fascinating slice of history

  Andie Newton, USA Today bestselling author of The Girls from the Beach

• I was totally immersed in The Little Wartime Library. Kate has such a talent for bringing history to vivid life. Utterly transporting, vivid and fresh.

  Iona Grey, bestselling author of Letters to the Lost

• Books help win the day in this splendid warm-hearted novel of wartime resilience and romance, based on a true story

  Rachel Hore, bestselling author of A Beautiful Spy

• Remarkable . . . Heartbreaking and inspiring, this brilliantly researched book also captures the essence of the story through its evocative words and thoughtfully written characters

  My Weekly

• A perfect wartime tale of hope against the odds

  My Weekly

• A compulsive read . . . enthralling

  Bishops Stortford Independent

• Libraries create writers! And here’s a book as wrapped up in libraries as it could be . . .

  The Library Campaigner

• Fascinating and heartwarming

  Mail on Sunday

• The almost furtive joy of being able to borrow books to read for free, and the emotional liberation and adventure this ability confers, suffuses every chapter of this novel. Thompson’s research is full of love and levity, showing how reading provides succour and sustenance even in the darkest of times

  Daily Express

• An ode to books, libraries and the resilience of women. Uplifting and heartwarming. The strength of the human spirit shines through

  Louise Fein

• A fascinating forgotten underground library

  East London Advertiser

• Riveting

  Prima

• Remarkable

  People's Friend

• My best book of the year. I loved the feeling this book gave me. The fact that this community, this love of books realty did exist and really did make a difference, was a wonderful thing to discover

  The Book Trail

• Warm and uplifting historical fiction, all made to feel so real because of the historical details seamlessly woven into the story

  Portybelle Book Blogger

• This is just the story we need right now – a tale of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to keep hope alive and to give a community adrift in wartime a sense of home. The Bethnal Green underground library might be the beating heart of the book’s subterranean village, but Clara is the soul of this novel. She’s the kind of character you cheer for, cry for, and dream for. Kate Thompson’s passion, meticulous research and brilliant storytelling make The Little Wartime Library an utter delight to read

  Natasha Lester, New York Times bestselling author of The Riviera House

• Such a heart-warming story of camaraderie

  Bishops Stortford Independent

• A powerful, earth-shattering read

  Woman's Own

• The Little Wartime Library was such an immensely heartwarming read. I laughed and cried through the entire thing, completely enraptured. People who love books about books must read this gem!

  Madeline Martin, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London

• Captivating and remarkable, it reminds us that stories soothe and help us make sense of the chaos in our lives

  The Toronto Star