Missing: Mirjam Roosevelt; "The Girl in the Blue Coat"

In the midst of World War II, Hanneke Bakker is asked to complete a task that could end her life. "The Girl in the Blue Coat," by Monica Hesse, is about 19 year old, Hanneke Bakker living in Amsterdam in 1942.  Hanneke works in the black  market; she finds and delivers goods to others, such as food, toys, or even cigarettes, while keeping her job a secret from her overprotective parents.  As each day passes by, Hanneke finds herself falling into a deeper depression as she tried to cope with the loss of her boyfriend, who was killed in the war.

 One fateful day, Hanneke Bakker delivers a pack of cigarettes to Mrs. Janssen.  When Hanneke arrives at her house, Mrs. Janssen reveals a secret that puts them both in danger:  Mrs. Janssen has been hiding a Jewish teen, Mirjam Roosevelt, in a secret room.  Janssen explains that one afternoon, she went to check on Mirjum, only to discover her room was empty.  Hanneke is shocked to discover this information, but not as shocked as she is when Mrs Janssen asks her to find Mirjam.  Hanneke declines the request at first, but after careful consideration, she accepts because of the intriguing mystery of the case, as well as it opening an opportunity for her to rebel against the Nazis.  

As Hanneke's journey begins, she witnesses some of the most negative events she has ever witnessed: her close friends dying, the actions of rebellion groups, and the excruciating pain of the Jewish people being deported.  In the next forty-eight hours, Hanneke accepts it as her destiny to find Mirjam before the Nazis get the chance to.  Check it out from Burton's Library today!

Written By: Paloma B.