The Rebel Girls of Rome: A Sydney Taylor Honor Book for Young Adults – A Dual-Timeline Historical Mystery of Holocaust Survival and Identity

*Winner of the 2026 Sydney Taylor Book Award Honor in the Young Adult category! Part historical mystery, part sweeping romance, The Rebel Girls of Rome brings the stories of two young women to brilliant life: Lilah, a college student looking to understand her grandfather’s mysterious past, and Bruna, a queer Jewish woman who joins the resistance during World War II. From Jordyn Taylor, author of The Paper Girl of Paris, this dual-contemporary and historical tale―where heartbreak, hope, and finding light in times of darkness are inevitably intertwined―is perfect for readers of Ruta Sepetys and Monica Hesse. Grieving the loss of her mother, college student Lilah is hoping to reconnect with a grandfather who refuses to talk about his past. Then she receives a mysterious letter from a fellow student, Tommaso, claiming he’s found a lost family heirloom, and her world is upended. Soon Lilah finds herself in Rome, trying to unlock her grandfather’s history as a Holocaust survivor once and for all.