Love in the Library is a bittersweet story based on the author’s grandparents’ love story. During WWII, Tama, a library worker, and George, who visited the library regularly to see Tama, were incarceration camp prisoners. Their crime--being Japanese Americans at a time while the US fought Japan during WWII.

The author does an excellent job juxtaposing the indignities of the camp with the couple’s budding relationship as well as the freedom to read and their emotional escape into books. The muted, earth-toned illustrations reflect the couple’s restrained hope and the capacity to dream of better circumstances.

Children will benefit from reading this book alongside caregivers as they learn the full truth of history. Someone once said that when we don’t learn from our past, we’re likely to repeat it. This book will help raise little readers who will lead us toward better, hope-filled futures.