  | Unbreakable : the spies who cracked the Nazis' secret code Author: Barone, Rebecca E. F. | |
| Price: $23.98 | ||
Summary:
Tells the story of one of the most dangerous war-time code-breaking efforts ever. As Hitler marched his troops across conquered lands and deadly "wolfpacks" of German U-Boats prowled the open seas, victory-or defeat-for the Allies hinged on their desperate attempts to crack the code. When a group of Allied spies and codebreakers cracked the Nazis's infamous cypher, it allowed them to read secret military messages and turn the tide of World War II.
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 7.70 Points: 8.0 Quiz: 518450 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (08/15/22)
School Library Journal (+) (09/02/22)
Booklist (09/01/23)
The Hornbook (+) (00/03/23)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 09/02/2022 Gr 5–8—Deciphering the infamous German military code—helping to end the Second World War—began with the mistaken delivery of an early Enigma code machine to a Polish customs office in 1929. But the focus here is mostly on the heroic work done in the 1930s and 1940s by Polish, French, and British spies and mathematicians, around the clock and under tremendous, often life-threatening, pressure. Some readers will be familiar with computing pioneer Alan Turing and his significant work on the codebreaking project at England's Bletchley Park. But Barone brings much deserved attention to some fascinating figures not often celebrated in popular histories, from Hans Thilo-Schmidt, a German spy and brother of a prominent military officer who secretly shared intelligence with French counterparts for years; to the Polish electronics expert Antoni Palluth, who worked to reverse-engineer the Enigma machine; and British undergraduate Harry Hinsley, whose behavioral insights and math wizardry helped the team at Bletchley Park find new ways of thinking about the code. A showdown between a Gestapo officer and Palluth's wife, Jadwiga, is particularly harrowing. Historical photos highlight important figures and war machinery throughout the text, though the mostly unbroken layout will appeal more to stronger readers. The volume concludes with an annotated time line, extensive bibliography, and a dozen pages of meticulous source notes. VERDICT Engagingly told as a grim race against time, deeply researched, and with ample space for the play of differing perspectives and outsized personalities, this titles is highly recommended for upper elementary and middle school libraries.—Bob Hassett - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
