A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Our Book of the Month for October was first published in the UK in 1944, and is set in the slums of Williamsburg, Brooklyn where The Nolans live from 1902 - 1919. It's a poignant story of family relationships, and a resourceful child called Francie.

Random House

Francie is a reader, and despite getting short shrift from the Williamsburg Librarian, she does love her local library!

'The library was a little old shabby place. Francie thought it was beautiful. The feeling she had about it was as good as the feeling she had about church. She pushed open the door and went in. She liked the combined smell of worn leather bindings, library paste and freshly inked stamping pads better than she liked the smell of burning incense at high mass.'

Betty Smith's own experiences provided the framework for 'A Tree grows in Brooklyn' which was made into a film in 1945.