The Klipfish Code, by Mary Casanova

While most people are aware of the horrors that took place in Germany during World War II, most do not know about the Nazi occupation in other countries. When her home country of Norway is invaded by the Nazis, Marit refuses to accept their presence. She wants to do something to return her country to peace, but what? Marit starts by secretly saving paperwork written by other resistance fighters. Then she wears a paperclip on her collar as a covert sign of solidarity among the Norwegian people. But when her family members start to disappear, she knows she needs to take much bolder actions. Marit and her younger brother use what was known as the klipfish code and risk their lives to see their family again.

This is obviously heavy subject matter, especially with Marit’s separation from her parents when they join the Nazi resistance, but Casanova handles the topic in a manner appropriate for tweens. I would not outrightly recommend The Klipfish Code for anyone under 10 because of the mature content, but parents can be the best judge of their child’s maturity and reading level.

Finally, this book will have a greater impact if the reader has some previous knowledge of WWII and Nazi occupation. As such, it would be an excellent addition to a classroom lesson plan on this critical time in world history.

Casanova, M. (2007). The Klipfish Code. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 978-0-618-88393-6