My Mother’s Friend 

Description

It is the summer of 1944, and the citizens of Algona, Iowa, are growing accustomed to the new prisoner of war camp that opened in April just west of the city limits. Thousands of German POWs are being transported by train to Algona, and many of those men will work on farms and in factories where their labor is desperately needed. The impact of the camp on the community is substantial.

With World War II as a backdrop, the Swensson family deals with life’s challenges and changes. Seventeen-year-old Phee Swensson’s mother passed away two years ago, and Phee has become the family’s anchor, helping her father and younger siblings navigate life on the home front as best she can. Phee is a gifted pianist who, one Saturday morning, is invited to tour Camp Algona. Inside the camp theater, she discovers a beautiful baby grand piano and a handsome German soldier playing Beethoven. That morning, an unforeseen friendship begins as the two of them find common ground in their love of music. Over the next year, their friendship strengthens, leading to unexpected adventures and life-altering decisions.