Review: The Enigma Girls

“The Enigma Girls” tells the story of several British young women who served during World War II helping to break codes. Some were recruited, others seemed to end up at Station X by accident. All were made to sign the Official Secrets Act in which they promised to never talk about their wartime jobs. These young women were gifted mathematicians or linguists. They largely came from middle and upper class families. They were dedicated to doing their part to beat the Nazis.

Candace Fleming does a fantastic job describing the dedication of these women and the conditions under which they worked (often horrible). I particularly appreciated that she included the women’s concerns about the ethical considerations of their jobs. There are introductory code-breaking activities and a thorough author’s note that describes why these women started sharing their experiences after decades of silence.

Classroom Considerations: “The Enigma Girls” is written at roughly a 5th/6th grade level. Because of the complexity of the story, it would be great for middle school students. The language is not overly simplistic so high school students would enjoy this book as well.

This book is great for kids who are interested in World War II or stories of strong women who have ignored society’s expectations.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley and Scholastic Focus, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review: Guts for Glory

Lyons Wakeman was a real soldier during the Civil War. He fought bravely and wrote letters home about those experiences. Thankfully, those letters were saved and now we can see the true story of Lyons’ life. Using the letters, author Joanna Lapati shows us that Lyons was in fact Rosetta Wakeman who wanted something more than life on a farm. She is one of many women who disguised themselves as men and fought during the war.

The story is clear and concise, but rich with detail. The artwork is stunning and an integral part of the story. It effectively captures the mood of the tale and is careful not to glorify war. 

This book is great for kids interested in history and the Civil War, in particular. It would also be a great addition to a classroom library for older students (even high school) as a resource to share varied experiences of soldiers during the Civil War.

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review: Squirrel is Alive!

Mary Rostad is horrified by what the Nazis are doing in her beloved Belgium. She begins with small acts of resistance, then commits to joining the larger resistance movement. As a teenager, she leaves her family without telling them and begins walking across western Europe. Along the way, she meets interesting people and delivers messages. 

Mary tells her story in a clear voice that looks back on her life. The reader can almost see the shake of Mary’s head as she describes the risks she took as a young girl. She also reflects on the pain it must have caused her family to not know what happened to their daughter for two years during World War II. 

“Squirrel is Alive” came about because of a community of people who encouraged Mary to tell her story. Susan Heissel helped Mary write the story and they got through a first draft before Mary passed away. Heissel finished the revisions on Mary’s behalf. Darryle Cloet, who worked closely with Mary for many years wrote an afterword about the impact Mary’s story had and continues to have on others.

This book would be great for teens who are interested in acts of resistance during the Holocaust. 

Thanks to NetGalley and Independent Publishing Group for an advanced review copy in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Men of the 65th

 “Men of the 65th” is the gripping story of the U.S. Army 65th Regiment from Puerto Rico. Formed after the Spanish American War, the unit fought with distinction in World War I and World War II. The men of the 65th were known for their determination, fortitude, and ferocity in battle. The regiment was sent to the Korean peninsula during the Korean War, where the highly disciplined group earned even more accolades. A series of changes in leadership and turnover in the ranks (because of battle losses and regular rotation out) led to a decline in morale and uneven performance on the battlefield. Ultimately, dozens of men were court-martialed after refusing to walk into another meat-grinder of a battle. Was this fair or appropriate given everything they had done?

This is a fascinating story that reads like a traditional history book with troop movements, numbers of troops, and battle details. This can seem repetitive and dry at times. On the other hand, Aikens-Nunez uses these facts to make a convincing case that the 65th faced discrimination even as they were lauded for bravery. 

Sidebars give additional explanation for key ideas such as background on the Borinqueneers (and what the name means) and the names for groups of people in the Army. These add interest and explanation.

Maps that include the body of water on the eastern side of the Korean peninsula show both names: the familiar Sea of Japan and the South Korean preferred name, East Sea. South Korea continues to advocate for the name change to the East Sea.

“Men of the 65th” would be great for middle and high school readers who want to know more about how the Korean War was fought.

Thanks to NetGalley, Lerner Publishing Group, and Zest Books for an advance reader copy of “Men of the 65th” in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Review: They Called Us Enemy

 

At our most recent meeting of the Bookworms, we decided to spend some time reading. I had bazillions of papers to grade, but thought I’d spend at least a few minutes with a book. Those few minutes turned into many minutes as I found that I could not put down George Takei’s “They Called Us Enemy.”

This richly illustrated graphic novel tells the story of Takei’s early life as he and his family are forcibly removed from their Los Angeles home and sent to U.S. internment camps during World War II. The story also explains how these early experiences shaped Takei’s life as an actor and activist. 

Takei explains how, as a young child, he didn’t really understand what was happening other than that his family was on a grand adventure that left his father depressed and his mother in tears. Four years later, as his family is released from the Tule Lake camp, he is beginning to understand the injustices of Executive Order 9066. 

Ultimately, this is a story of resilience as Takei turns his family’s experience during the war and turns it into a life of action against injustice.

“They Called Us Enemy” is available in both English and Spanish. It’s a fantastic addition to the classroom library.

Review: Killers of the Flower Moon (Adapted for Young Readers)

I recently picked up a hardback of “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI (Adapted for Young Readers)” from a local Barnes and Noble. I read the original version a few years ago and found it fascinating and terrifying at the same time. Even though this edition is adapted for young readers, it does not downplay the brutality of the story or the level of corruption that allowed murders to continue virtually unchecked for years.

This adaptation does a good job of explaining some of the intricacies of the story, including headrights, the guardianship system, and mineral rights. It discusses the multi-faceted corruption at the local and state levels in 1920’s Oklahoma. It explains how law enforcement was adapting to modern techniques during the time period. 

I’ve read a number of reader reviews for both editions of “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Many of them ask how they had never heard of this story before? I teach history (mostly World History) and have a degree in history, but I had not heard of it either. History curriculum at the K-12 level tends to focus on sweeping political history with a smattering of social issues at a surface level. 

This is a great book for students interested in U.S. History, the FBI, and/or Native American history (particularly as it relates to U.S. government policy). If I was teaching a U.S. History course, I would push to include this book for all students to read.