A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell

 A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell -352 pages

Virginia Hall was an American who fearlessly organized and directed resistance networks in occupied France in World War II, and went on to work for the CIA. Initially, she strived to be a diplomat but was relegated to administrative tasks in the State Department. With her language skills and knowledge of France, she volunteered to work covertly for the British SOE and then served a second tour as part of the American OSS. The book does an excellent job of describing the dangers the resistance members faced and the physical toll it took on those who managed to survive the war.

The Librarian of Burned Books by Brianna Labuskes

 

The Librarian of Burned Books by Brianna Labuskes-516 pages

This book is inspired by the true story of the Council of Books in Wartime.  For anyone who loves books and the freedom to read what we want just reading about the book burnings in Germany made me furious.

This book is about three women who are woven together by their love of the written word and preserving it for the future.  It was a slow start for me, so many characters and plots taking place on different continents.  I stuck with it though and I'm glad I did.  The author put a lot of research into this book and I learned things that I was not aware of.  It is well worth your time.

Village of Scoundrels (Based on a true story of courage during WWII) by Margi Preus

 

Village of Scoundrels by Margi Preus. 295 pages. 

Margi Preus tells the incredible true story of a group of French teenagers who helped save refugees in WWII. Among them is a young, Jewish boy who learns to forge documents to save his mother and later goes on to save hundreds of lives with his forgery skills. There is also a girl who overcomes her fear to carry messages for the Resistance. And a boy who smuggles people into Switzerland. But there is always the threat that they will be caught: A policeman is sent to keep an eye on them, German soldiers reside in a local hotel, and eventually the Gestapo arrives, armed with guns and a list of names. As the knot tightens, the young people must race against time to bring their friends to safety. 

I love reading and learning about WWII, so this was a very interesting book to read. The story line was a little bit choppy because the story is told from each of the characters' points of view. However, the author kept my attention and interest throughout the novel. I would recommend this book to children 4th grade or older interested in history and WWII. 

World at War, 1944 (Magic Tree House Super Edition #1) by Mary Pope Osborne

World at War, 1944 (Magic Tree House Super Edition #1) by Mary Pope Osborne-192 pages

Jack and Annie are taken back to France during WWII just before D-Day. Teddy tasks them with finding and rescuing Kathleen from a town near Normandy the day before the Allied invasion. Along the way, Jack and Annie overcome many obstacles and meet many people, both friend and foe. They learn about the French Resistance and the secret sign to tell if someone is friendly or not. I really enjoyed reading this book and all the other Magic Tree House books I read for this month's challenge.