Fleming, Candace. Enigma Girls, The: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II. Scholastic Focus, 03/2024. 371pp. Nonfiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-3387-4957-1. GRADES 6–12. OUTSTANDING.
Until recently, they were forgotten: young women, mostly teenagers, all of whom were plucked from ordinary life, sworn to a lifetime of secrecy, and thrust into the heart of Great Britain’s desperate effort to staunch the brutal Nazi tide with code-breaking and disinformation. Fleming does an astonishing job bringing the wartime experiences of ten young women close and layering their voices and recollections to put together a complete picture of Bletchley Park’s culture and contribution. Loads of period photographs and chronological chapters help order and illuminate the era. Each girl was siloed, knowing only her own grueling tasks, only occasionally getting direct feedback from triumphant cinema war reels, or devastating casualty reports. Taken all together their accounts and historic hindsight make clear the immense impact their work had on the war’s outcome. An endnote compellingly addresses the lack of any photos of the featured women. Back matter includes an author’s note, extensive bibliography, and source and image notes. All characters are white.
Melissa McAvoy—Retired