Miss Morgan's Book Brigade

Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles (2024) unfolds across two timelines: beginning in 1918, American librarian Jessie “Kit” Carson works with members of the American Committee for Devastated France to rebuild villages and help civilians during World War I (WWI), bringing literature to devastated French communities; in 1987, aspiring author Wendy Peterson discovers Kit’s forgotten legacy while working in the archives of the New York Public Library. Based on real-life figures and research, the interwoven timelines follow as Kit transforms ambulances into bookmobiles and sets up children’s libraries in the war-torn regions of France, while Wendy uncovers the profound impacts of Kit’s efforts, realizing their shared stories of resilience, the power of community, and the transformative nature of books.

Janet Skeslien Charles is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Paris Library, which also follows a true-life story, about librarians who hand-deliver books to Jewish patrons during World War II in Nazi-occupied Paris. The author once worked at the American Library in Paris and spent a decade researching Jessie Carson.

This guide uses the Simon and Schuster 2024 hardcover edition.

Content Warning: The source material and this guide features depictions of attempted sexual assault and wartime trauma.