The Klipfish Code

“Set in Norway during the Nazi Occupation . . . It’s certainly one of the best middle grade WWII novels I’ve read thus far.”—Diary of an Eccentric The year is 1942, and Norway is under Nazi occupation. Twelve-year-old Marit has decided to take action, despite her grandfather’s warnings. But will her plan work? Can she really complete her part of this secret code? And even if she can, would it make any difference to the Resistance? As this novel reveals what Norwegian people did to preserve their dignity and freedoms, it uncovers a startling statistic: the German secret police systematically rounded up one teacher in ten and sent them to concentration camps for their refusal to teach Nazi propaganda to Norwegian schoolchildren. Set on an island of sturdy fishing trawlers and brightly painted homes, with smells of kelp and saltwater, here is a riveting novel about risks taken, secrets kept, and, always, questions about whom to trust. “[A] suspenseful historical tale.”—Booklist

“Casanova spins an adventure-filled and harrowing story . . . [a] novel of heroism and perseverance.”—School Library Journal “Casanova details Norwegian life during the occupation uncommonly well . . . a worthwhile book about a rarely documented facet of the war that some readers will find fascinating.”—Kirkus Reviews “What we really see is how fear, determination, conviction and courage coalesce in Marit, and result to action. And that is what makes this such a great middle-grade novel . . . offers such wonderful teachable aspects of WWII.”—The Children’s War

© 2007 HMH Books for Young Readers (Ebook): 9780547528328

Release date

Ebook: 3 September 2007