A Song for Summer

A parent might reach for this book when their teenager is feeling disillusioned by the world or is beginning to ask deep questions about how art and love can survive in times of great political upheaval. It is a luminous historical novel set on the brink of World War II, following Ellen, a young Englishwoman who finds her purpose as a housemother at a progressive Austrian school. The story is a beautiful tapestry of music, kindness, and the quiet bravery of ordinary people facing the rise of Nazism. While it deals with the gravity of the Holocaust and war, it does so through a lens of profound humanity and hope. It is ideal for mature readers aged 12 and up who appreciate historical accuracy blended with a sweeping, sophisticated romance. Parents will value the book for its moral clarity and its celebration of intellectual and creative freedom during dark times.