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

Enjoyed learning about a different part of the war.

Fascinating & inspiring true stories from WWII and Bletchley Park.

This was a good book. I liked learning about the real-life young women who help break the enigma code during World War II and then lived in obscurity for decades. They deserve to be remembered! I also was interested in learning how complex the codes were. This is an easy-to-read book and a good read

I've read other fiction books that relate the top-secret work at Bletchley Park, Milton Keynes (Buckinghamshire) England, like The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. However, I had no idea of the background of its beginnings and the extraordinary details as shown in this new non-fiction book by Denise Fleming. As told in the book flap, World War II raged, and a telegram was sent to thousands of young women throughout the British Isles. It read, "You are to report to Station X, Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire in four days time." When many arrived, they had no idea who had recommended them, what kind of work they would be doing, and why they were chosen. Until about thirty years later, most would never know all that went on during that time, only the one part they did! Fleming follows ten specific girls as they arrive, find challenges in their billets and in their work, some working in codes and ciphers, some working with the later "bombe" machines, and well into the war, the newly created "colossus" machines. Each one is young, twenty or younger. One is a debutante who took the invitation as a chance to skip her debutante coming out! One young woman, through constant work beside another worker, a man, eventually married him, though each never revealed all of their secret work. The workers may have become good friends but were never to know what the "friend" did in the huts. There are amazing moments, like when Churchill suddenly appeared walking from the nearby cliffs. Something was happening! While focusing on one girl, Denise stops periodically to show the readers exactly how one of the tasks works. For example, if you were a code and cipher breaker, how to decipher a message. And, she adds practice! I enjoyed trying and know that young and older readers will, too! The book is tension-filled as the workers rushed as quickly as possible to solve messages and to help those in power improve their plans of attack when learning about the enemies' plans, right up to Hitler's orders! Although all were proud to be helpful, they often realized that any attack, even successful, meant lives lost. Parts of the London Blitz felt especially sad to read about. Many photos are added within the text that illuminate the telling. A thoughtful author's note, a brief bio, and an extended bibliography and index are added at the back. It's a great book that fills in details for me about this place that was set up for secrecy to help many in World War II. And, both this place and the book succeeded masterfully!

Bought this for our daughters 5th grade classroom library. Highly recommend