How I Became a Spy: A Mystery of WWII London
by Deborah Hopkinson (Author)
From the award-winning author of The Great Trouble comes a story of espionage, survival, and friendship during World War II.
Bertie Bradshaw never set out to become a spy. He never imagined traipsing around war-torn London, solving ciphers, practicing surveillance, and searching for a traitor to the Allied forces. He certainly never expected that a strong-willed American girl named Eleanor would play Watson to his Holmes (or Holmes to his Watson, depending on who you ask).
But when a young woman goes missing, leaving behind a coded notebook, Bertie is determined to solve the mystery. With the help of Eleanor and his friend David, a Jewish refugee--and, of course, his trusty pup, Little Roo--Bertie must decipher the notebook in time to stop a double agent from spilling the biggest secret of all to the Nazis.
From the author of The Great Trouble, this suspenseful WWII adventure reminds us that times of war call for bravery, brains and teamwork from even the most unlikely heroes.
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Gr 4-6--This middle grade mystery novel starts with a bang and sends readers on a breakneck journey through World War II London. Bertie Bradshaw is a civil defense volunteer, so he is accustomed to the bombings and fires that have become commonplace in the city. His faithful companion is Little Roo, a small black spaniel that was given to Bertie when her original owner, a librarian, evacuated London for somewhere safer. Bertie's job is to bring others to safety, helping them find the closest bomb shelters and alerting the authorities about fires or other dangers. Bertie's brother, Will, was badly injured, so Will and his mother are living in Surrey until he recovers. One night out on patrol, Bertie runs into an American girl with his bike and ends up with a journal from a young woman, Violette, who has become a spy. It turns out the American girl knows her and wants the journal back. Bertie, however, starts reading the journal and finds it fascinating. The journal describes Violette's training as a spy and includes some codes, which readers have to try to decrypt. This book has some excellent historical information about World War II that focuses on the experiences of Londoners, as well as some commentary on post-traumatic stress. The mystery and code aspect will draw in readers. VERDICT A strong choice for middle grade collections, especially those in need of wartime historical fiction.--Debbie Tanner, S D Spady Montessori Elementary, FL
Copyright 1 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
JUV028000 - Juvenile Fiction | Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories
JUV016150 - Juvenile Fiction | Historical | United States - 20th Century
