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Code Name Kingfisher

by Liz Kessler

Interest age: 12 to 14
Reading age: 9+

Published by Simon & Schuster, 2023

  • Historical

About this book

Liv’s grandmother, Bubbe, never talks about her childhood but when Liv tells her that she’s been abandoned by her erstwhile best friend, she shares that she too knows what it’s like to be left behind. 

In Amsterdam, in 1942, Jewish sisters Mila and Hannie are living with another family, with forged identities. The Nazis have occupied Holland and are sending Jewish people to concentration camps. Hannie, at 15, joins the Dutch Resistance and helps deliver young children to safe houses. Mila knows nothing of this, and feels abandoned by her sister – the only family she has left. 

Meanwhile, in the present day, when Liv realises that Bubbe had a sister she’s never spoken of, she is determined to find out more. 

Incredibly moving and heart-breaking, this novel deals with tough topics at a personal level. Liz Kessler’s powerful prose sheds light on the bravery and selfless sacrifice of many ordinary people during World War II. The parallel contemporary story includes bullying, and invites the reader to consider how important it is to stand up to bullies and protect the vulnerable. An important novel to add to any World War II collection. 

About the author

Liz Kessler is the author of two popular children’s series: Emily Windsnap and Philippa Fisher. A Year Without Autumn was her first standalone title and was shortlisted for the Blue Peter Awards 2012. Born in 1966, Liz grew up in the seaside town of Southport in the north west of England. She studied English at Loughborough University, after which she gained a teaching qualification at Keele University. More recently, she gained a distinction in a Masters degree in Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Before becoming an author, Liz taught English and Media Studies and ran Creative Writing courses. She also worked as a journalist at a few local and regional newspapers in Manchester and York. After school and university, Liz lived on a narrowboat on the canal for about ten years, after which she settled briefly in Manchester before travelling round Europe in a campervan for a year. She now lives in St Ives, Cornwall.

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