A single spy can save thousands upon thousands of lives . . . From Harry Ree, teacher turned saboteur, to Margery Booth, the spy who sang for Hitler, to Scotch Lass, Britain's smallest ever agent, discover twenty-seven of the most courageous and daring spies . . . For as long as there have been secrets to keep, there have been spies, the world over, trying to uncover this classified information. Spying goes on all the time, and everywhere, but some of the most astonishing exploits occur during wartime. The stories in this beautiful collection unpick some of the most astonishing missions undertaken during World War Two - actions that helped to save many lives. Amazingly, many of these tales had to remain a deadly secret at the time and are little known even to this day. Discover twenty-seven of the most courageous and daring, including: Giliana Gerson, Britain's first female spy, Harry Ree, teacher turned saboteur, Margery Booth, the spy who sang for Hitler, Roald Dahl, the spy who became a bestselling author, Noor Inayat Khan, the first woman wireless operator, Scotch Lass, Britain's smallest ever agent, 'Major Martin' the man who never was and many more!

X-Books are for kids who love facts-especially in bite-sized portions and about fascinating, true subjects. As plentiful images and graphical representations stimulate visual perception, readers will be drawn into learning how to use informational texts. Each title is framed by a signature Top 5 countdown feature that not only serves as an example of sequential order but also narrates a brief story within the main topic: in X-Books: Fighters, these sidebars summarize the extraordinary true tales of famous warriors throughout history. Count down the world's most extreme fighters, and launch a lifetime of reading without limits!

This book gives an exciting overview of the Green Berets, from when this special force first formed to its missions and members today, as well as their tasks, equipment, and training. Short paragraphs of easy-to-read text are paired with plenty of photos to make reading engaging and accessible. The book also includes a table of contents, fun facts, sidebars, comprehension questions, a glossary, an index, and a list of resources for further reading. Apex books have low reading levels (grades 2-3) but are designed for older students, with interest levels of grades 3-7.

This book gives an exciting overview of the US Army, from when it first formed to its missions and members today, as well as their tasks, equipment, and training. Short paragraphs of easy-to-read text are paired with plenty of photos to make reading engaging and accessible. The book also includes a table of contents, fun facts, sidebars, comprehension questions, a glossary, an index, and a list of resources for further reading. Apex books have low reading levels (grades 2-3) but are designed for older students, with interest levels of grades 3-7.

This book gives an exciting overview of the US National Guard, from when it first formed to its missions and members today, as well as their tasks, equipment, and training. Short paragraphs of easy-to-read text are paired with plenty of photos to make reading engaging and accessible. The book also includes a table of contents, fun facts, sidebars, comprehension questions, a glossary, an index, and a list of resources for further reading. Apex books have low reading levels (grades 2-3) but are designed for older students, with interest levels of grades 3-7.

Michel Chikwanine was five years old when he was abducted from his school-yard soccer game in the Democratic Republic of Congo and forced to become a soldier for a brutal rebel militia. Against the odds, Michel managed to escape and find his way back to his family, but he was never the same again. After immigrating to Canada, Michel was encouraged by a teacher to share what happened to him in order to raise awareness about child soldiers around the world, and this book is part of that effort. Told in the first person and presented in a graphic novel format, the gripping story of Michel's experience is moving and unsettling. But the humanity he exhibits in the telling, along with Claudia Davila's illustrations, which evoke rather than depict the violent elements of the story, makes the book accessible for this age group and, ultimately, reassuring and hopeful. The back matter contains further information, as well as suggestions for ways children can help. This is a perfect resource for engaging youngsters in social studies lessons on global awareness and social justice issues, and would easily spark classroom discussions about conflict, children's rights and even bullying. Michel's actions took enormous courage, but he makes clear that he was and still is an ordinary person, no different from his readers. He believes everyone can do something to make the world a better place, and so he shares what his father told him: "If you ever think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a room with a mosquito."

Flame throwers, spy trees, bird bombs, and Hell Fighters were all a part of World War I, but you won't learn that in your history books! Uncover long-lost secrets of spies like Howard Burnham, "The One-Legged Wonder," and nurse-turned-spy, Edith Cavell. Peek into secret files to learn the truth about the Red Baron and the mysterious Mata Hari. Then learn how to build your own Zeppelin balloon and mix up some invisible ink. It's all part of the true stories from the Top Secret Files: World War I. Take a look if you dare, but be careful! Some secrets are meant to stay hidden . . . Ages 9-12

In the tradition of Hidden Figures and The Girls of Atomic City, Code Girls is the amazing true story of the young American women who cracked German and Japanese military codes during World War II. More than ten thousand women served as codebreakers during World War II, recruited by the U.S. Army and Navy. While their brothers and boyfriends took up arms, these women moved to the nation's capital to learn the top secret art of code breaking. Through their work, the code girls helped save countless lives and were vital in ending the war. But due to the top secret nature of their accomplishments, these women have never been able to talk about their story--until now. Through dazzling research and countless interviews with the surviving code girls, Liza Mundy brings their story to life with zeal, grace, and passion. Abridged and adapted for a middle grade audience, Code Girls brings this important story to young readers for the first time, showcasing this vital story of American courage, service, and scientific accomplishment.

Stubby was a brave soldier, a loyal friend... and a dog. From an army training camp to the trenches in France, this is the incredible true story of Sergeant Stubby, the dog who served bravely in the First World War, sniffing out gas attacks, catching spies and winning the hearts of his fellow soldiers.

‘A wonderful story of courage, bravery, loyalty and friendship.’ Early Years Educator

‘…a moving insight into the horrors of the war as seen through the story of the exceptional contribution of a
stray dog.’ LoveReading4Kids

‘…its lessons are important for each new generation’ Evening Echo

On September 12, 1942, the RMS Laconia was attacked by a German submarine five hundred miles off the coast of western Africa. What the Germans didn't know was that they had just attacked their allies: locked below decks on the British ship were nearly 1,800 Italian prisoners of war. When the Germans realized their mistake, they made the unprecedented decision to rescue all survivors regardless of their nationality, attempting to declare the waters a neutral zone. But when an American bomber flew over the humanitarian effort, he was ordered to drop bombs, contributing to the deaths of many Italian POWs and British civilians in the process. Some of those who remained alive endured weeks adrift at sea, fighting for survival with little water or food, and in shark infested oceans. Suspenseful and informative, this incredible true account, which includes historic photographs, is a testament to the idea that compassion can rule over conflict-even at the cruel heights of war.

No Better Friend tells the remarkable story of Royal Air Force technician Frank Williams and Judy, a purebred pointer, who met in an internment camp during WWII. Judy was a fiercely loyal animal who sensed danger and instinctively mistrusted anyone in enemy uniform. Their relationship deepened throughout their imprisonment. The prisoners suffered severe beatings which Judy would interrupt with her barking. The dog became a beacon for the men, who saw in her survival a flicker of hope for their own. Judy was the war's only canine POW, and when she passed away in 1950, she was buried in her Air Force jacket. Williams would never own another dog. Their story--of an unbreakable bond forged in the worst circumstances--is one of the great undiscovered sagas of World War II.

Against the fascinating tapestry of Frances history during the Hundred Years' War, Diane Stanley unfolds the story of the simple thirteen-year-old village girl who in Just a few years would lead France to independence from English rule, and thus become a symbol of France's national pride. It is a story of vision and bravery, fierce determination, and tragic martyrdom. Diane Stanley's extraordinary gift to present historical information in an accessible and child-friendly format has never been more impressive, nor her skillful, beautifully realized illustrations (here imitating medieval illuminated manuscripts) more exquisite.

Sibert Honor author Deborah Hopkinson illuminates the true stories of Jewish children who fled Nazi Germany, risking everything to escape to safety on the Kindertransport. An NCTE Orbis Pictus recommended book and a Sydney Taylor Book Award Notable Title. Ruth David was growing up in a small village in Germany when Adolf Hitler rose to power in the 1930s. Under the Nazi Party, Jewish families like Ruth's experienced rising anti-Semitic restrictions and attacks. Just going to school became dangerous. By November 1938, anti-Semitism erupted into Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, and unleashed a wave of violence and forced arrests. Days later, desperate volunteers sprang into action to organize the Kindertransport, a rescue effort to bring Jewish children to England. Young people like Ruth David had to say good-bye to their families, unsure if they'd ever be reunited. Miles from home, the Kindertransport refugees entered unrecognizable lives, where food, clothes -- and, for many of them, language and religion -- were startlingly new. Meanwhile, the onset of war and the Holocaust visited unimaginable horrors on loved ones left behind. Somehow, these rescued children had to learn to look forward, to hope. Through the moving and often heart-wrenching personal accounts of Kindertransport survivors, critically acclaimed and award-winning author Deborah Hopkinson paints the timely and devastating story of how the rise of Hitler and the Nazis tore apart the lives of so many families and what they were forced to give up in order to save these children.

Winner of Best Books with Facts in the 2013 Blue Peter awards, voted for by children. This paperback edition includes a link to download a free audio version of the book read by Sir Tony Robinson. In Sir Tony Robinson's Weird World of Wonders World War II, Sir Tony Robinson takes you on a headlong gallop through time, pointing out all the most important, funny, strange, amazing, entertaining, smelly and disgusting bits about World War II! It's history, but not as we know it! Find out everything you need to know in this brilliant, action-packed, fact-filled book, including: - Just how useful mashed potato is - How the Battle of Britain was won - What it takes to be a spy - How D-Day was kept a surprise For more World War history facts in this fun series, discover World War I.

This book gives an exciting overview of the US Navy, from when it first formed to its missions and members today, as well as their tasks, equipment, and training. Short paragraphs of easy-to-read text are paired with plenty of photos to make reading engaging and accessible. The book also includes a table of contents, fun facts, sidebars, comprehension questions, a glossary, an index, and a list of resources for further reading. Apex books have low reading levels (grades 2-3) but are designed for older students, with interest levels of grades 3-7.