American spies

The Dark Game: True Spy Stories
by Paul B. Janeczko


It's too bad that books like these aren't included in school curriculums. Their stories are far more interesting than some of the dry textbooks that students are forced to wade through. In The Dark Game, readers are introduced to some notorious American and international spies, whose exploits abound with excitement and intrigue. There's George Washington who organized the first spy ring in the United States, Virginia Hall who evaded the Nazis despite having a wooden leg, and Juan Pujol aka Garbo, who became an amazing double agent. There's also a fascinating story about the sabotage of U.S. munitions factories during World War I. Janeczko also talks about the evolution of spy communication, from complex codes to high tech satellites.

Highly recommended for middle grade and high school readers.