A gripping narrative celebrating teen girls’ underrecognized contributions to Allied war efforts.
The latest from acclaimed nonfiction author Fleming is a detailed, well-researched account highlighting a lesser-known wartime chapter.
This chronological survey of cipher-breaking efforts at Bletchley Park during World War II centers on the now-legendary struggle to crack the Axis powers’ messages, including those sent using Enigma machines. This top-secret work was first revealed in the 1970s; Fleming’s book adds depth to readers’ understanding by sharing the stories of 10 young women in the context of changing societal gender roles. Bletchley’s workforce grew to around 7,000 by 1944, with women ultimately outnumbering men. Among the women employees were Patricia Owtram, Jane Hughes, Mavis Batey, Sarah Norton, Diana Payne, Gwen Watkins, Ann Williams, Joanna Chorley, Charlotte Webb, and Marion Graham—all of whom publicly shared their stories decades later. They worked in secret, supporting many aspects of operations: listening for encoded communications; decoding, translating, indexing, and paraphrasing messages; and doing round-the-clock shift work to keep early computers such as the Bombes and Colossus running. Their work helped the Allies defeat the Italian navy in 1941, launch the D-Day invasion of 1944, and bring the Pacific front to a close in 1945. This compulsively readable, compellingly written book will appeal to a broad audience, from readers already interested in World War II to those who are new to the subject. The fascinating photos and diagrams invite browsing.
A gripping narrative celebrating teen girls’ underrecognized contributions to Allied war efforts. (note about photographs, author’s note, bibliography, source notes, photo and illustration credits, index) (Nonfiction. 9-14)Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781338749571
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Scholastic Focus
Review Posted Online: Dec. 16, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2024
A poignant and powerful look at identity, change, and resiliency.
An Indigenous perspective on the impact of European settlement.
Coombs (Aquinnah Wampanoag) uses two distinct voices to share information. The alternating chapters prefaced with “When Life Was Our Own” demonstrate the intergenerational sharing of knowledge about Wampanoag life based on oral traditions and research. Within these narratives, she teaches specific lessons: For example, readers learn how cedar was harvested with respect, “in a way that encouraged the growth of new saplings.” Later, they hear about how a sachem, or tribal leader, would resolve conflicts through a football game in order to avoid fighting. The voice of the remaining chapters “is inclusive of all tribal nations in southern New England,” covering history from the 1400s to the present. These chapters define and explore racism and provide facts about the devastating effects of the Europeans’ presence. Explorers’ 1524 arrival in present-day Rhode Island was followed by the Great Dying that wiped out entire Indigenous villages between 1616 and 1618. Europeans then proceeded to extract profits from natural resources, in contrast to Indigenous beliefs that “only the Creator who made the land could own it.” The epilogue describes the situation for Wampanoag people and other southern New England tribes in their territories today. Text boxes labeled “Let’s Think About This” pose critical thinking questions about the communities’ opposing viewpoints and engage readers. Black-and-white photos and artwork support the text. Together, the two intertwined narratives form a cohesive, engaging whole.
A poignant and powerful look at identity, change, and resiliency. (bibliography, resources, image credits) (Nonfiction. 9-14)Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2023
ISBN: 9780593480434
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
Deftly written and informative; a call for vigilance and equality.
An examination of the history of Chinese American experiences.
Blackburn opens with a note to readers about growing up feeling invisible as a multicultural, biracial Chinese American. She notes the tremendous diversity of Chinese American history and writes that this book is a starting point for learning more. The evenly paced narrative starts with the earliest recorded arrival of the Chinese in America in 1834. A teenage girl, whose real name is unknown, arrived in New York Harbor with the Carnes brothers, merchants who imported Chinese goods and put her on display “like an animal in a circus.” The author then examines shifting laws, U.S. and global political and economic climates, and changing societal attitudes. The book introduces the highlighted people—including Yee Ah Tye, Wong Kim Ark, Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, and Vincent Chen—in relation to lawsuits or other transformative events; they also stand as examples for explaining concepts such as racial hierarchy and the model minority myth. Maps, photos, and documents are interspersed throughout. Chapters close with questions that encourage readers to think critically about systems of oppression, actively engage with the material, and draw connections to their own lives. Although the book covers a wide span of history, from the Gold Rush to the rise in anti-Asian hate during the Covid-19 pandemic, it thoroughly explains the various events. Blackburn doesn’t shy away from describing terrible setbacks, but she balances them with examples of solidarity and progress.
Deftly written and informative; a call for vigilance and equality. (resources, bibliography, image credits) (Nonfiction. 10-14)Pub Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9780593567630
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
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