A review by jennyc2323
Max in the House of Spies: A Tale of World War II by Adam Gidwitz

5.0

It’s WWII and 11-year-old Max is sent from Berlin to London for his own safety. But what about the safety of his parents? Turns out England isn’t welcoming to Jewish adults. So, all Max wants is to get back home to his family, even if he has to go as a spy for the British! First, he has to prove he’s smart and resourceful, which is easy because he’s both those things, but then spy training becomes much harder than he anticipated. And along the way, a lesson on colonialism leads to the understanding that the good guys he’s now working for weren’t always the good guys. But there are moments of humor too, and a sprinkling of magic just for fun. From learning to outwit a dead letter box to parachuting into wartime France, readers will want to go on this amazing adventure right along with Max.