Code Name Kingfisher

February 12, 2024
Kessler (When the World Was Ours) intertwines two poignant stories via four alternating perspectives in this well-paced novel: one of Dutch Jewish sisters Mila, 12, and Hannie, 15, posing as Christians in WWII Amsterdam, the other of contemporary British 13-year-old Liv, who’s navigating friendship troubles and her relationship with her cold, secretive grandmother. A school assignment to create a family tree stumps Liv, who knows nothing about her ancestry. But after her widowed paternal grandmother, Bubbe, moves to a care facility, Liv cleans out her attic and discovers a photograph dated 1942 that might provide clues to Bubbe’s guarded nature—and help with Liv’s assignment. Hannie’s unsent letters to her mother are interspersed throughout Liv and Mila’s dual POVs, and occasional later chapters are narrated by another Jewish child in Amsterdam. Narrative parallels between Liv’s efforts in standing up to bullies and Hannie’s work saving Jewish children with the Dutch Resistance feel some-
what unevenly weighted, but skillfully structured suspense as well as Liv’s persistence in learning—and helping complete—Bubbe’s story makes for a rewarding read. A historical note concludes. Most characters present as white; many are Jewish. Ages 8–12.

Starred review from April 1, 2024

Gr 4-8-In the present day, middle schooler Liv is dealing with heavy friend drama, as well as moving her frail Bubbe into an elder community. In 1942 Amsterdam, similarly aged Mila and older sister Hannie are trying to maintain a semblance of normal while living under false identities during the Nazi occupation. When Liv gets a school assignment to explore her family tree, she and new friend Gabi begin probing secretive Bubbe's past. The two stories, wartime and present day, intertwine as events and artifacts from Mila's and Hannie's lives turn up in Liv's exploration of Bubbe's past. Mila, or Mimi, is Bubbe. Much of the plot is revealed through letters and narration by various characters, in addition to journal entries written by Hannie as letters to her lost mother. In helping reunite Bubbe with a friend who was with Hannie at the time she disappeared and who has her journal, Liv learns that Hannie had been a resistance worker murdered by a Nazi patrol. Reading the journal, Bubbe realizes Hannie had forgiven her for her role in mistakenly exposing several Jewish children to capture and releases a lifetime of shame and regret. In an author's note, Kessler writes that, though fictional, the novel is inspired by a tale of real-life sisters. VERDICT A narrative that is at times almost overpoweringly emotional; an intense story, gorgeously told. With World War II books perennially in demand, especially Shoah stories, this one is highly recommended for elementary and middle school libraries.-Bob Hassett

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2024
An intertwining family history centered around two Dutch sisters during World War II. Present-day British 12-year-old Liv, who's Jewish, has never felt close to Bubbe, her paternal grandmother. Unlike Liv's grandfather, who died three years ago, Bubbe has never seemed to want to be close to her only grandchild. While cleaning out Bubbe's house after she moves to a care home, Liv finds a stash of old documents that seem to indicate that Bubbe has been hiding part of her past. Alternate chapters set in 1942 Amsterdam tell the story of 12-year-old Mila and her sister, Hannie, 15, who, because they're Jewish, are forced to leave their parents and seek safety by posing as the orphaned relatives of a non-Jewish couple, the Van de Bergs. Hannie joins the Dutch Resistance, adopting the code name Kingfisher and shuttling Jewish children to safety. She relates her activities only to her journal, leaving Mila feeling abandoned and bereft. Then, Hannie disappears. Eventually (and not entirely believably), Liv's investigations in the modern timeline enable her to piece together enough information to make a remarkable discovery that's connected to the secrets of Bubbe's history. While the minor characters are flat, the central characters are all strongly written, and the presentation of history happening to real people in real time comes vividly to life. An intriguing look at a less frequently encountered piece of history. (historical note) (Historical fiction. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

May 1, 2024
Thirteen-year-old Liv lives with her parents in England. When she's tasked with a family history assignment for school, she decides to investigate her ninety-two-year-old grandmother. While helping Bubbe move into an assisted living facility, Liv discovers a secret chest from her grandmother's past and learns more than she bargained for. A second story unfolds in alternating chapters: twelve-year-old Mila and her older sister, Hannie, live in Holland in 1942, but since they are Jewish and the Nazis have taken over the country, they do not live with their parents. Rather, they have assumed different identities, hiding in plain sight with a non-Jewish foster family in Amsterdam. Hannie gets drawn into the Dutch resistance with grave consequences; she is the titular Kingfisher. It's quickly revealed that Mila is, in fact, Liv's grandmother, but Kessler makes readers wait to learn the entire story, using lots of dialogue, a notably fast pace, four viewpoint characters, and several dozen short chapters to further develop suspense. An engrossing read, one that provides depth to the Dutch experience during the Holocaust beyond Anne Frank and her famous diary. Jonathan Hunt

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

May 15, 2024
Grades 5-8 Liv has been tasked with filling out a family tree, but her grandmother, Mila, won't discuss the past. Following a chance find by Liv in Mila's attic, readers are transported back to 1940s Holland via letters and diary entries. A young Mila and her older sister, Hannie, are Jewish siblings contending with the Nazi occupation, and the burgeoning underground resistance movement is calling Hannie's name, testing their deep connection. Liv works to detangle her family's complicated past while sorting out an equally confusing present (drifting friends and school bullies), and what she uncovers will change her family forever. The stunning story soars when recounting the sisters' troubled time in Amsterdam, and the dramatic descriptions of high-stakes situations will have readers glued to the page. Alternating points of view and time jumps add compelling perspectives, and though there are truly tough moments, the fierce familial bonds and loving friendships lighten the load. A stirring story that will give any reader a boost of bravery in the face of adversity.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

January 1, 2024
Thirteen-year-old Liv lives with her parents in England. When she's tasked with a family history assignment for school, she decides to investigate her ninety-two-year-old grandmother. While helping Bubbe move into an assisted living facility, Liv discovers a secret chest from her grandmother's past and learns more than she bargained for. A second story unfolds in alternating chapters: twelve-year-old Mila and her older sister, Hannie, live in Holland in 1942, but since they are Jewish and the Nazis have taken over the country, they do not live with their parents. Rather, they have assumed different identities, hiding in plain sight with a non-Jewish foster family in Amsterdam. Hannie gets drawn into the Dutch resistance with grave consequences; she is the titular Kingfisher. It's quickly revealed that Mila is, in fact, Liv's grandmother, but Kessler makes readers wait to learn the entire story, using lots of dialogue, a notably fast pace, four viewpoint characters, and several dozen short chapters to further develop suspense. An engrossing read, one that provides depth to the Dutch experience during the Holocaust beyond Anne Frank and her famous diary.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)