Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel weaves three distinct storylines together across several decades. How did this structure affect your reading experience and emotional investment in the characters? Did you find one character’s journey more compelling than the others?

2. If you’ve read Sadeqa Johnson’s bestseller The House of Eve (2023), how does Keeper of Lost Children compare in its exploration of Black womanhood, family secrets, and historical injustices? If you haven’t, what was the most surprising or impactful historical element you learned about from this novel?

3. How did you feel about the novel’s resolution, which brings a reunion for Sophia and Ozzie alongside an Epilogue celebrating Ethel’s life’s work? Did this ending provide a satisfying conclusion to the traumas and struggles depicted throughout the story?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Ethel’s journey begins with a deep personal desire for a child but evolves into a broader humanitarian mission. Have you ever experienced a personal goal or desire transforming into a different, perhaps larger, purpose in your own life?

2. How did you react to Ma Deary’s motivations for hiding Sophia’s past from her? Can you understand her fear and her twisted form of “protection,” even if you don’t condone her abusive actions?

3. How did Sophia’s friendships with Willa and Max at West Oak Forest Academy compare to your own experiences of friendship, particularly in moments when you needed support, acceptance, or validation?

4. Ozzie carries the secret of his daughter, Katja, for years, a burden that contributes to his alcohol addiction and isolates him from his wife, Rita. Have you seen, or experienced, ways in which withholding or carrying difficult truths affects connection, trust, or personal well-being?

5. Sophia often feels out of place as she grows up. How did her search for belonging resonate with your own experiences of feeling included or excluded? What, for you, distinguishes a house from a home?

6. The novel features several mentor figures, like Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Fordham, and Miz Peaches, who offer Sophia crucial support at key moments. Think about your own life. Who have been the unexpected guides or helpers who appeared when you needed them most?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. What does the story reveal about the difference between integration laws, like President Truman’s Executive Order 9981, and changing deeply ingrained social attitudes in institutions like the military and schools?

2. The character of Ethel Gathers is based on the real-life humanitarian Mabel T. Grammer. Why do you think historical figures like her, who accomplished so much, are often overlooked in mainstream history? What is the value of historical fiction in bringing these stories to light?

3. The term “Brown Babies” carries a heavy historical weight. How does the novel navigate the painful history of these children while also celebrating their resilience and the communities that formed to support them?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. The motif of bureaucracy and paperwork is central to the story, from hidden acceptance letters and adoption files to passports and newspaper articles. How does the author use these documents to explore themes of identity and control?

2. What does the military uniform initially represent to Ozzie, and how does that meaning shift as he confronts the reality of racism within the army?

3. How does Johnson use physical settings such as the Clark family’s Maryland farm, the military base in Germany, and West Oak Forest Academy to reflect the characters’ internal struggles?

4. The tin canister is a recurring symbol that functions as more than just a box of mementos. What does it ultimately represent for both Jelka and Katja?

5. This novel has three protagonists: Sophia, Ozzie, and Ethel. In what ways do their separate journeys act as foils for one another, highlighting different responses to the shared pressures of racism and societal expectation?

6. How does this novel’s focus on the “Brown Babies” of post-war Germany compare to other historical narratives you may have read about the aftermath of WWII, such as Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief (2005)? What new perspective did Keeper of Lost Children offer you?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Ethel Gathers creates the “Brown Baby Plan” to publicize the needs of the orphans. If you were tasked with creating a modern-day campaign to raise awareness for a forgotten or overlooked historical issue from the book, what would it look like?

2. Imagine you are an archivist like Ms. Eleanor at Howard University who has been given Sophia’s tin canister for a museum exhibit. How would you design the display to tell the story of her identity, her family’s separation, and her eventual reunion?

3. The novel ends with Sophia reclaiming her name, Katja, and heading to college to study journalism. Imagine you’re reading an article written by Katja Philips 10 years later. What story do you think she chose to tell first, and what impact would her unique background have on her voice as a writer?