Max in the House of Spies
A Tale of World War II
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
An acclaimed Best Book of 2024!
Instant New York Times bestseller • Wall Street Journal Best Books of the Year • Booklist Editors’ Choice • Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year • School Library Journal Best Books of the Year • Common Sense Best Books of the Year • Imagination Soup Best Books of the Year • Tablet Magazine Best Books of the Year
“Max in the House of Spies is everything you could hope for in a book,” -R. J. Palacio, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wonder, White Bird, and Pony
“Espionage! Secrets! Suspense! If you’ve ever dreamed of being a spy, this book is for you.” -Alan Gratz, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Refugee and Projekt 1065
Max Bretzfeld doesn’t want to move to London.
Leaving home is hard and Max is alone for the first time in his life. But not for long. Max is surprised to discover that he’s been joined by two unexpected traveling companions, one on each shoulder, a kobold and a dybbuk named Berg and Stein.
Germany is becoming more and more dangerous for Jewish families, but Max is determined to find a way back home, and back to his parents. He has a plan to return to Berlin. It merely involves accomplishing the impossible: becoming a British spy.
The first book in a duology, Max in the House of Spies is a thought-provoking World War II story as only acclaimed storyteller Adam Gidwitz can tell it—fast-paced and hilarious, with a dash of magic and a lot of heart.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
After Kristallnacht, things continue getting worse for German Jews, prompting the parents of highly intelligent 11-year-old Max Bretzfeld to send him to England via the Kindertransport. Though Max doesn't want to go—especially because he often feels as if he's the only one looking out for his meek parents—they insist. Max ends up living with the Montagus, an aristocratic family of British Jews, and he did not arrive alone. He's joined by two invisible companions: a dybbuk, or Jewish evil spirit, on one shoulder and a kobold, or German folk spirit, on the other. When Max realizes that one of the Montagus is a British spy, he endeavors to become one as well, believing it to be the quickest way to return to Berlin to search for his parents. Gidwitz (the Unicorn Rescue Society series) imbues Max's first-person voice with plentiful charm and intellect, making him an irresistible and irrepressible protagonist even his otherworldly tormentors can't help but grow fond of. The compelling plot, which occasionally stretches credulity, boasts an exciting mixture of triumphs and perils, leading up to a cliffhanger ending that will have readers clamoring for the sequel. Ages 8–12.
Customer Reviews
Best book for my 11 year old
This book was interesting and fun it combines two interests the Holocaust and spies it was both educational and interesting I recommend it to kids who like spies,kids who like history,kids who don't like history and kids looking for good summer read