Code girls The true story of the American women who secretly broke codes in World War II

Liza Mundy, 1960-

eBook - 2018

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.

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Subjects
Published
[United States] : Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 2018.
Language
English
Corporate Author
hoopla digital
Main Author
Liza Mundy, 1960- (author)
Corporate Author
hoopla digital (-)
Online Access
Instantly available on hoopla.
Cover image
Physical Description
1 online resource
Format
Mode of access: World Wide Web.
ISBN
9780316353748
Access
AVAILABLE FOR USE ONLY BY IOWA CITY AND RESIDENTS OF THE CONTRACTING GOVERNMENTS OF JOHNSON COUNTY, UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, HILLS, AND LONE TREE (IA).
Contents unavailable.
Review by Horn Book Review

This teen adaptation of Mundy's adult book reveals the largely untold story of thousands of talented young women recruited to work as code breakers during WWII. While it's difficult to follow the large cast of characters--and the highly technical explanations of the code-breaking process--the women's unique opportunity and subsequent achievements are fascinating, inspiring examples of unsung heroism. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

When the United States entered World War II, it quickly became clear that, in order to win the war, the military must break enemy code.With so many men serving as soldiers, smart women were called upon to join this secret effort. Initially, upper-level female college students were invited to apply. As the need for codebreakers grew, schoolteachers, especially those skilled in mathematics and sciences, were also called upon. The work was top secret. For many participants, these jobs offered opportunities that far surpassed their culturally circumscribed expectations, since young white women were, at the time, mostly viewed as destined for lifelong roles of wives and mothers. While the text acknowledges the existence of the Army's segregated, black codebreaking unit, it focuses on the work of the white women. In this adaptation of Mundy's book for adult readers, the text alternates between descriptions of the progress of the war and the lives of a few of the codebreakers. Sidebars offer additional information, but much of it is later repeated in the narrative. Well-integrated black-and-white period photographs (the adult version's are presented in one sheaf of plates) and the additions of a timeline, glossary, and further reading in the backmatter round out this adaptation.It's an entertaining presentation on a fascinating topic, but given its length, it doesn't extend the audience too much beyond what its original could expect to reach. (timeline, glossary, bibliography, further reading, index) (Nonfiction. 11-15) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.