Code Name Verity (327 Pages)

There are many books written about the Holocaust, and it is my hope that schools will reach beyond Diary of a Young Girl.Although it is a perfectly fine book, other have surfaced that offer other ides about the war. Here is a book that is quite marvelous. Written from two points of view,author Elizabeth Wein has crafted an historical novel that is spell binding. The first half of the book is "written" by Verity, a code name for Julie Beaufort-Stuart. Julie is from an upper class Scottish family who becomes a spy for England. The second half of the book is "written" by Maddie, a young, Jewish, British girl who is a bit of a tom boy. She becomes quite a capable pilot and flies for much of the war carrying supplies to resistance in France and bringing back English pilots who have been shot down, but survived. Maddie and Julie meet and quickly become best friends. I will not tell you how the book ends, you obviously know "who won the war"! But this is not about the war as much as it is about the active duty of women during the war, about close friendships women achieve, and about the word "truth". Much truth,and therefore, such an aptly named title. I was on the edge of my seat for much of the read!