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Quick answer: If you finished Salt to the Sea, try Between Shades of Gray, I Must Betray You, The Book Thief, Code Name Verity, Refugee and The Nightingale. Each tells a hidden part of World War II or its aftermath through young eyes.
Ruta Sepetys's novel follows four young refugees in 1945 as they travel toward the ship Wilhelm Gustloff, whose sinking is one of the deadliest maritime disasters in history. Her books shine a light on little-known stories. These 15 titles do the same, from Sepetys's other novels to well-known WWII fiction. They include death, war violence and loss.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Between Shades of Gray | Ruta Sepetys | 13+ | the same author |
| I Must Betray You | Ruta Sepetys | 13+ | readers who want another hidden history |
| The Fountains of Silence | Ruta Sepetys | 14+ | readers who like romance and history |
| The Book Thief | Markus Zusak | 13+ | readers who love books |
| Code Name Verity | Elizabeth Wein | 14+ | readers who like twists |
| Rose Under Fire | Elizabeth Wein | 14+ | older teens |
| Refugee | Alan Gratz | 10-14 | younger readers |
| Number the Stars | Lois Lowry | 9-12 | younger readers |
| The Nightingale | Kristin Hannah | Adult | readers who want a big emotional story |
| All the Light We Cannot See | Anthony Doerr | Adult | readers who like beautiful prose |
| Sarah's Key | Tatiana de Rosnay | Adult | readers who like dual timelines |
| Lilac Girls | Martha Hall Kelly | Adult | readers who like historical fiction |
| The Boy in the Striped Pajamas | John Boyne | 12+ | first-time readers of Holocaust fiction |
| Echo | Pam Muñoz Ryan | 10-14 | readers who like musical stories |
| The Diary of a Young Girl | Anne Frank | 12+ | readers who want the true account |
1. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Lina, a Lithuanian teen, is deported to Siberia by the Soviets in 1941. Sepetys's debut, and the book that made her name.
Best for: the same author.
2. I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
Cristian, a teen in 1989 Romania, is forced to become an informer for the secret police. Tense and well researched.
Best for: readers who want another hidden history.
3. The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys
A young American photographer visits Madrid in 1957 and uncovers secrets about Franco's Spain. Slower, richly detailed.
Best for: readers who like romance and history.
4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Liesel, a girl in Nazi Germany, steals books and shares them with a Jewish man hiding in her basement. Narrated by Death.
Best for: readers who love books.
5. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
A captured British spy writes her confession, and the story reveals secrets. Gripping, with a friendship at its heart.
Best for: readers who like twists.
6. Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein
An American pilot is sent to Ravensbrück, a women's concentration camp. A companion to Code Name Verity, and much harder.
Best for: older teens.
7. Refugee by Alan Gratz
Three children in different eras flee from Nazi Germany, Cuba and Syria. Fast-paced and powerful.
Best for: younger readers.
8. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Annemarie helps her Jewish friend escape Nazi-occupied Denmark. A short, gentle, award-winning novel.
Best for: younger readers.
9. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Two sisters in occupied France take different paths of resistance. A moving bestseller.
Best for: readers who want a big emotional story.
10. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
A blind French girl and a German boy with a radio talent have paths that cross in WWII. Pulitzer Prize winner.
Best for: readers who like beautiful prose.
11. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
A journalist uncovers the story of a girl caught in the Vel' d'Hiv roundup of Jews in Paris in 1942. Haunting.
Best for: readers who like dual timelines.
12. Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
Three women, based on real people, are caught up in WWII, including a Polish prisoner at Ravensbrück. A moving, long novel.
Best for: readers who like historical fiction.
13. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
Bruno, the son of a camp commandant, befriends a boy on the other side of a fence. A fable, simple and sad.
Best for: first-time readers of Holocaust fiction.
14. Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Three children in different countries are tied together by a magic harmonica as war approaches. Lyrical and clever.
Best for: readers who like musical stories.
15. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
The real diary of Anne Frank, who hid in Amsterdam during the war. Essential reading.
Best for: readers who want the true account.
How to Choose
For other Sepetys books, start with Between Shades of Gray. For younger readers, choose Number the Stars or Refugee. For emotional adult novels, pick The Nightingale or Lilac Girls. For the real voice of a teen, read The Diary of a Young Girl. These books describe war crimes, death and loss, and Rose Under Fire is especially harsh.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Salt to the Sea a true story?
The characters are fictional, but the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff in January 1945 was real and killed thousands.
What age is it for?
It is recommended for ages 13 and up.
Are the narrators important?
Yes. The story is told by four young people, which lets readers see the same events from different perspectives.
What should I read after it?
Between Shades of Gray is the natural next step.