Code Name Kingfisher
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
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.
