"If you’ve been weary and anxious, I hope you’ll listen for whispers of hope and vitality from One who draws near to empower you to stand firm in the face of real danger, speaking and acting for lovingkindness and flourishing, especially in places of injustice.

Why would anyone want to read about people, especially children, experiencing the horrors of a concentration camp at any time but especially in the midst of a pandemic? Because stories of hardship and loss and struggle remind us that humans are resilient even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. We need to hear stories of overcoming even when things are going well. And we need them, even more, when things are hard or confusing. The Librarian of Auschwitz is such a story.

Lament is more than acknowledging loss. It is letting ourselves experience and express pain, so it does not turn into violence directed at us or others.