Spying on Spies: How Elizebeth Smith Friedman Broke the Nazis’ Secret Codes

Gr 5 Up–British codebreaker Alan Turing has deservedly received much posthumous praise for his groundbreaking work during World War II; this book focuses on all-but-forgotten history-maker Elizebeth Smith Friedman, his female, American counterpart doing the same work, yet without the technology and a fraction of the staff. Moss introduces readers to Friedman, who, armed with an exceedingly clever mind and a strong sense of justice, helped bust alcohol and arms-selling rings during Prohibition by deciphering their secret messages. With the United States embroiled in WWII, Friedman’s skills were called upon again to decipher messages sent by the Axis powers and those sympathetic to their cause. Her story is told through text and short, paneled illustrations at the beginning of each chapter. Although the mix of formats is clever, the illustrated segments rarely add to the visual appeal or the storytelling. Photographs of Friedman and other important players in her story, woefully saved for the back matter, provide a richer view into her life. The remainder of the back matter contains useful supplemental material, including a time line, glossary, and an author’s note on types of codes and ciphers.