Nancy Wake, a true heroine who worked for the French Resistance and Allies in World War II as a courier, was one of the most wanted spies by the German Gestapo. At 16, Nancy ran away from home to train as a nurse in the Australian outback. A gift of 200 pounds from an aunt saw her set sail for overseas at 19 and in England she trained as a journalist. As a foreign correspondent in Paris, she was soon reporting on the ominous signs of Germany’s increasing antagonism to Jews, gypsies and anyone they considered different. As she witnessed the rise of Hitler, Nancy decided to fight for the people who were being persecuted. She risked her life numerous times and after the war was awarded for her bravery by many countries.

Cassy Liberman’s faithful retelling of Wake’s life celebrates her amazing vitality, self-belief and moral strength, and street artist Lucy Desbordes’s glamorous and bold illustrations perfectly portray this amazing woman. Empowering literature for ages 8 and up.

Alexa Dretzke