SPYING ON SPIES: HOW ELIZEBETH SMITH FRIEDMAN BROKE THE NAZIS’ SECRET CODES, by Marissa Moss, Harry N. Abrams, March 12, 2024, Hardcover, $19.99 (ages 10 and up)

Learn about America’s first female cryptanalyst, Elizebeth Smith Friedman, who busted Nazi spy rings in Spying on Spies, by Marissa Moss.

One of the founders of US cryptology who would eventually become one of the world’s greatest code breakers, Elizebeth Smith Friedman (1892–1980) was a brilliant mind behind many important battles throughout the 20th century, saving many lives through her intelligence and heroism.

Whip-smart and determined, Elizebeth displayed a remarkable aptitude for language and recognizing patterns from a young age. After getting her start by looking for linguistic clues to the true authorship of Shakespeare’s writings, she and her husband, William Friedman, were tasked with heading up the first government code-breaking unit in America, training teams and building their own sophisticated code systems during the lead-up to World War I.

Elizebeth’s solo career was even more impressive. She became the Treasury Department’s and Coast Guard’s first female codebreaker and created her own top-notch codebreaking unit, where she trained and led many male colleagues. During Prohibition in the 1920s, her work solving and intercepting coded messages from mobsters and criminal gangs lead to hundreds of high-profile criminal prosecutions, including members of Al Capone’s gang. Her crowning achievement came during World War II, when Elizebeth uncovered an intricate network of Nazi spies operating in South America, a feat that neither law enforcement nor intelligence agencies had been able to accomplish.

Despite her unparalleled accomplishments, Elizebeth was largely written out of history books and overshadowed by her husband. Only in very recent years has her name begun to receive the attention it deserves, including the US Coast Guard naming a ship in her honor and the US Senate passing a 2019 resolution to honor her life and legacy. —Synopsis provided by Harry N. Abrams

Spying on Spies is another one of those books that kids will instinctively be drawn to just because of its title.

Each chapter begins with graphic novel-style panels that set the stage. Those panels are followed by short chapters that are comfortable to read. Author Marissa Moss’ writing is bright and accessible. Her almost conversational tone and strong pacing and a text that’s about 200 pages (with an author’s note and extensive timeline) make Spying on Spies a good option for more reluctant readers. A number of black-and-white photographs are also included.

Spying on Spies is a compelling story of an amazing woman who helped change the course of America’s history.

Copyright © 2024 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

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FORCE OF NATURE: A NOVEL OF RACHEL CARSON, by Ann E. Burg and  Sophie Blackall, Scholastic Press, March 5, 2024, Hardcover, $19.99 (ages 8-12)

Force of Nature: A Novel of Rachel Carson, by Ann E. Burg and Sophie Blackall, is the story of how a young naturalist grows up to change the world.

Rachel was a girl who loved
science and the sea,
books and writing
and all the creatures of the world.
Rachel was quiet,
a listener by nature.
But when she saw problems,
she could not remain silent.
Some people thought girls
shouldn’t be scientists.
They thought girls
shouldn’t use their voices
to question or challenge,
even to protect
all the creatures of the world.
Luckily Rachel didn’t listen
to them. —Synopsis provided by Scholastic Press

Rachel Carson (1907-1964) was a biologist, writer and environmental activist whose writing spurred marine conservation and the environmental movement.

In Force of Nature, author Ann E. Burg introduces a new generation to the woman behind Under the Sea-Wind, The Sea Around Us, The Edge of the Sea and Silent Spring.

A novel-in-verse, Force of Nature is both restrained and expansive. Burg’s lyrical prose brings you in and invites you to stay. Burg’s short sentences and chapters are graceful and accessible, making it a good choice for both classroom or individual reading.

Burg captures Carson’s love for nature and her family with a warm touch, giving readers a true sense of Carson’s drive and personality. Accompanying art by Sophie Blackall gives the feel of a journal or field notebook. It’s a lovely read.

Copyright © 2024 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

The post Ann E. Burg’s Force of Nature is excellent portrait of Rachel Carson appeared first on www.crackingthecover.com.