Spies, Lies, and Disguise

October 1, 2019
During World War II, the Allies developed myriad tricks, promulgated deceiving information, employed spies and double agents, and in general, did whatever they could to confuse the enemy. Unlike the limited focus of Paul Janeczko's Secret Soldiers (2019), Swanson's effort describes a wide range of varied subversive operations, including plans for biological warfare, the use of camouflage, the work of spies, and the efforts to blow up important dams in Germany's industrial Ruhr Valley, each chapter beginning with an imagined, humorous "wanted" poster. Much of the information is presented in a somewhat flippant way that sharply contrasts with the subject matter. Material on the war work of gay, closeted mathematician Alan Turing, who died tragically some years after the war, blithely concludes, "Cheers to Alan!" A chapter that describes plans to use anthrax to kill German cows begins with a "wanted" poster seeking volunteers to assist: "It will be a great way to cull the herd," it suggests. Factual errors appear often enough to undermine the presentation: Sheep and not cows perished in one of the anthrax experiments described; brave spy Noor Inayat Khan, a British Muslim woman, didn't assist before and after D-Day operations since the Germans arrested her eight months before; and the statement that the atomic bomb Little Boy "rocked the homes" of the residents of Hiroshima is a severe understatement. In contrast to the narrative, this effort includes outstanding period photographs. Disappointing. (Nonfiction. 10-14)

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November 1, 2019

Gr 5-8-An unexpectedly humorous narrative chronicles some of the trickiest and most impressive espionage of World War II, including Roald Dahl's spy work, ghost armies composed of actors manning inflatable tanks and ships, and cunning code talkers. The highly readable and well-organized text is accompanied by occasional breakout panels and spreads and focuses mainly on missions conducted by the Allied powers. While each chapter is organized around a different type of spycraft or specific mission, the accounts are more or less chronologically arranged and touch on major events such as D-Day and the dropping of the atomic bombs, adding context that will help readers newer to the subject. The text is accompanied by a combination of period photographs and illustrations by O'Malley, whose expressive style adds to the book's cheekiness. VERDICT A must-read for budding military historians and spies-in-training. Purchase wherever books by Alan Gratz and thrillers like Framed! by James Ponti are popular.-Darla Salva Cruz, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY

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