“I love historical fiction because there’s a literal truth, and there’s an emotional truth, and what the fiction writer tries to create is that emotional truth.” — Jewell Parker Rhodes
Participating in a Summer Reading Challenge is a perfect opportunity to explore something new or dive deeper into a subject that fascinates you. Readers and writers are captivated by the history and human stories of World War II.
This week marks the 81st anniversary of D-Day—June 6, 1944—also known as Operation Overlord. As recorded by the Library of Congress: “In the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, Americans received word that three years of concerted war efforts had finally culminated in D-Day—military jargon for the undisclosed time of a planned British, American, and Canadian action. During the night, over 5,300 ships and 11,000 planes had crossed the English Channel and landed on the beaches of Normandy.” The successful campaign opened the western front in Europe and marked a turning point in the war. Source: Library of Congress https://www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/june-06/ Accessed: May 28, 2025
To learn more about the courageous people who served and lived through this era, visit your library. We offer a wide variety of WWII materials, including nonfiction accounts, historical fiction, and DVDs. A few staff favorites include Dunkirk (available on DVD) and The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin. “A generation which ignores history has no past and no future.” ~ Robert Heinlein, author.
And remember—everything you read counts toward your Summer Reading Challenge. Be sure to ask how you can sign up! You can also get Explore MORE passports and stickers at any of your local libraries. Explore the MORE libraries to collect stickers and enter to win fun prizes for your family. Be sure to ask at the circulation desk.