Nancy Wake: Fearless Spy of World War II (Women Warriors of World War II)

Gr 3-4--Female heroes of World War II have their stories related in these four graphic biographies. Sophie Scholl was a young German woman who, disillusioned with Hitler, endangered her life by campaigning against the Nazis. Army and Navy nurses bravely take care of wounded soldiers in the Philippines while enduring terrible hardships and internment by the Japanese. An Australian journalist in France takes huge risks as a spy for the French Resistance. The woman who becomes the first Black lieutenant colonel in the WACS heads a team of other Black female soldiers in sorting mail for troops in Europe while enduring racial discrimination by their white colleagues. The authors and illustrators of these graphic narratives do an excellent job of conveying suspense; readers unfamiliar with the stories about Scholl and Wake will find themselves especially eager to turn the pages. The tales of the nurses and the WACS sensitively portray the difficult circumstances the women found themselves in and how they were able to rise above their respective trials and tribulations. Tones of sepia, grays, browns, and dark green found in the frames' backgrounds complement the stories of these remarkable women. VERDICT The excellent narratives combined with engaging drawings do a fine job of introducing readers to important players in a crucial point of history. Purchase should definitely be considered by school and public libraries.