Books like Dear Mrs. Bird by A. J. Pearce

Set in London in 1940, Emmeline Lake is eager to contribute to the war effort, working as a telephone operator with the Auxiliary Fire Service. When an advert for a position at the London Evening Chronicle appears, she hopes to achieve her dream of becoming a Lady War Correspondent. Instead, she learns that the role is simply a typist for the formidable advice columnist Henrietta Bird. Despite initial disappointment, Emmeline embraces the job, learning that any letter containing ‘unpleasantness’ must be discarded. As the city endures German air raids, Emmeline is moved by the emotional submissions of women dealing with the difficulties of war—issues ranging from relationships to the challenges of evacuating children. In the quiet moments between the nightly bombardments, she quietly writes back, offering comfort to those who have poured their private troubles into the newspaper’s pages.

First publish date: 2018