The Klipfish Code by Mary Casanova

Marit Gundersen thought Norway would be safe from the Nazis. But when the Nazis invade her country, Marit’s parents send Marit and her brother, Lars, to live with their fisherman grandfather and aunt on Godøy Island. Even though the island is somewhat secluded, Nazis still patrol the island and take away such necessities as blankets, food, and radios from the villagers. In Marit’s eyes, she thinks her grandfather is too willing to go along with the Nazis even after her aunt is sent away for refusing to teach Nazi propaganda in her classroom. Marit wants desperately to fight the Nazis in some way. But when her chance comes in the form of a wounded resistance soldier, it will put her and her family in grave danger.

Casanova’s story is brilliantly crafted and her characters are rich and vibrant. Readers follow along with Marit as she deals with the emptiness caused by being separated from her family. But Marit fills that emptiness with the needed courage to fight the Nazis on her own terms. The theme of this story is that even in a world being torn apart by war, many individuals still find inner strength to fight insurmountable odds in their own small and simple ways. Many of the experiences described in the book are based on true events. The Klipfish Code can be an excellent resource in the home or classroom for lessons on World War II.