Keeper of Lost Children

Keeper of Lost Children by Sadeqa Johnson is a moving and eye-opening historical novel that follows three characters whose lives are connected by a little-known piece of history.

There's Ethel, who, after discovering an orphanage filled with abandoned mixed-race children, the offspring of Black American soldiers and German women, feels compelled to find loving homes for them. Ozzie is a young soldier who serves in Germany in 1948 and enters into a relationship that will shape the course of his life. And finally, in 1965, a teenager named Sophia has the opportunity to attend a prestigious boarding school, where she uncovers a secret that shakes her understanding of her identity.

At the heart of the story is Ethel, a character based on a real woman named Mabel Grammer. Johnson does a wonderful job of making each character feel real and worth rooting for. She also sheds light on an overlooked moment in history with empathy and detail, making this one of those rare books that's both incredibly interesting and genuinely educational. I also love how Sadeqa Johnson connected the characters and, through their experiences, shined a light on various Civil Rights issues.

If you enjoy historical fiction that sticks with you long after you finish, this one is well worth picking up.