Enigma Girls

From award-winning author CandaceFleming, comes the powerful and fascinating story of the braveand dedicated young women who helped turn the tides of WorldWar II for the Allies, with their hard work and determination atBletchley Park."You are to report to Station X at Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire,in four days time ... That is all you need to know." This wasthe terse telegram hundreds of young women throughout the BritishIsles received in the spring of 1941, as World War II raged.As they arrived at Station X, a sprawling mansion in a state of disrepairsurrounded by Spartan-looking huts with little chimneyscoughing out thick smoke – these young people had no idea whatkind of work they were stepping into. Who had recommended them?Why had they been chosen? Most would never learn all the answersto these questions.Bletchley Park was a well-kept secret during World War II, operatingunder the code name Station X. The critical work of code-crackingNazi missives that went on behind its closed doors coulddetermine a victory or loss against Hitler’s army. Amidst thebrilliant cryptographers, flamboyant debutantes and absent-mindedprofessors working there, it was teenaged girls who kept StationX running. Some could do advanced math, while others spoke asecond language. They ran the unwieldy bombe machines, made senseof wireless sound waves and sorted the decoded messages. They wereexpected to excel in their fields and most importantly: know howto keep a secret. Candace Fleming is the award-winning and highly acclaimed authorof Crash from Outer Space, The Curse of the Mummy,and many other nonfiction books for young readers.A compelling and narrative story that makes history come alive.Thick with tension and suspense, this is an extraordinary andrelatively unknown story of World War II that will fascinate readerswho will be thrilled to see young people playing such an importantrole in the wartime effort.