FICTION

The Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II

Scholastic Audio. Mar. 2024. 430p. Audio $24.99. ISBN 9781546117636.
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Gr 6 Up–Fleming and Quirk bring to life a narrative nonfiction for listeners interested in World War II. Ten teenage girls move to Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire, to help contribute to World War II efforts. The girls enlist without knowing what they are going to be doing. Sworn to secrecy, the teens’ efforts at codebreaking influence the war’s outcomes monumentally—while pranking each other, dressing up for local dances, and getting homesick. Intermixed are “Top Secret” chapters that offer explanations about how to break ciphers. Quirk’s narrative style and pacing are well done, and she keeps listeners engaged. She adeptly narrates the different writing styles found throughout the different girls’ memoirs. Her handling of interstitials explaining the nuts and bolts of decoding codes and ciphers is handled well. Fleming’s writing style is engaging and cohesive.
VERDICT Listeners who enjoy nonfiction, documentaries, and titles about World War II will want to pick up this audiobook. Recommended for all library collections.

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