How I Became a Spy

by Deborah Hopkinson Narrated by John Keating

Overview

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.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Ms. Hopkinson slips lots of age-appropriate wartime history and a number of real individuals (including Eisenhower)—as well as practical details about codes and ciphers and how to break them—into this info-packed adventure for sleuth-loving readers." —The Wall Street Journal

"This middle grade mystery novel starts with a bang and sends readers on a breakneck journey through World War II London." —School Library Journal

"Hopkinson has written a cleverly plotted, page-turning mystery that vividly evokes wartime Britain... Fans of puzzles, mysteries, and historical fiction will be delighted by Hopkinson's latest." —Booklist

"Red herrings, a poignant Bradshaw family backstory, ciphers to decode, a subplot regarding a young Jewish refugee friend of Bertie’s, cameos by real-life historical figures (General Eisenhower and his dog; cipher expert Leo Marks)—there’s certainly no shortage of entry points for young readers, and never a dull moment." —The Horn Book

Kirkus Reviews

2018-11-21

A World War II caper features three 13-year-olds learning ciphers amid the bombs.

Bertie, a white boy in 1944 London, is excited to be a new civil defense volunteer. With the help of his rescue dog, Little Roo, he carries messages for London's wardens. In the middle of an air raid, Bertie finds—and loses—a young woman, who vanishes, leaving only a ciphered notebook. Bertie enlists two friends his own age to decipher the notebook: his Jewish best friend and a white American girl who's also seeking the missing young woman. The messages introduce them to a frightening story of traitors and double crosses; it's a good thing their code-breaking skills are up to the task! With many allusions to Sherlock Holmes and in chapters headed with excerpts from the Special Operations Executive's wartime spy training, the three children put their minds to cracking the ciphers and rescuing the missing woman. Little Roo helps as well, sniffing out people who need rescuing. Though the characters' voices and actions sometimes stretch the bounds of credulity, the puzzle solving is deftly handled. Clear instructions for deciphering messages, complete with an illustrated decoder ring, teach readers to solve the mystery along with our heroes—albeit without the help of Little Roo. Hopkinson includes some historical figures, including a Nigerian immigrant who effectively diversifies a typically whitewashed setting.

Lighthearted cleverness invites readers to play along. (footnotes, historical notes, Q-and-A) (Historical fiction. 9-12)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170762705
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	02/12/2019
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

Read an Excerpt

You see, but you do not observe.
(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "How I Became a Spy"
by .
Copyright © 2019 Deborah Hopkinson.
Excerpted by permission of Random House Children's Books.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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