Rosie Raja Churchill's spy by Sufiya Ahmed

Rosie Raja is a feisty half English, half-Indian Princess who is lonely and upset with her father. Her mother has recently died in India and her English father has taken her to live in his childhood mansion in the English countryside. He is concerned that her aunt, (the queen) Rani-K is becoming too involved with the independence movement in India which was led by Gandhi at that time.  Rani is bored and frustrated by her father’s frequent absences and so when she overhears a conversation that reveals his true identity as an English spy, she is determined to follow him on his next mission. She finds herself in Nazi occupied France during World War II where she tries her best to help him with his mission.  The book does not shy away from the harsh realities that would have been faced by the resistance movement in France at that time and the risks they faced in opposing the Nazis. Smart and capable, Rosie launches herself into learning all she can about being a spy while facing the tragedies that befall her father’s unit as they move around France. There are some brilliant discussion points regarding the role of women in war, the Indian independence movement, the actions of those in British empire, and the WWII conflict itself. It would be perfect to read alongside a study of WWII for pupils in Year 5 and above. An additional inclusion could have been some suggested reading material about these issues. There is another book, also set in Nazi occupied France, called Mohinder's War by Bali Rae, featured on the back pages of this book.

Themes: World War II, India, Gandhi, Spies and spying.

Gabrielle Anderson