WW2, Holocaust, Holland, Dutch Resistance, Family Tree
Code Name Kingfisher
by Liz Kessler
Key information
Author: Liz Kessler
Cover artist: David Dean
Release Date: 14th September 2023
Book type: Chapter, 336 pages
Star rating: ★★★★★
Reader level: Confident (9+)
Age: UKS2
Overview
Code Name Kingfisher by Liz Kessler is a dual-timeline novel that connects a modern-day schoolgirl’s family history project with the hidden stories of World War II resistance fighters. The story follows 13-year-old Liv, who, while helping her grandmother (Bubbe) move into care due to dementia, discovers a box of letters and diaries. This sparks an investigation into her family’s past, revealing secrets that have been buried for generations.
Set against this modern narrative is the gripping wartime story of two Jewish sisters, Mila and Hannie, living in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. Forced into hiding and separated from their parents, the sisters assume false identities. Hannie becomes involved in the Dutch Resistance under the code name “Kingfisher,” taking on risky missions to help other Jews escape. The bond between the sisters is tested as Hannie commits herself to the cause, eventually leading to heartbreak and sacrifice.
As Liv uncovers the truth, she learns that her Bubbe is actually Mila, who survived the war but kept her past a secret. The novel sensitively explores themes such as courage, identity, memory, and the long-lasting effects of trauma. It also touches on present-day issues like bullying and aging, drawing thoughtful parallels between past and present.
Key concepts/themes
- courage
- identity
- family
- war
- trauma
- morals
- death
- persecution
Considerations
- Death of sibling
- Death of parents
- Loss of dog
- Bullying
- Dementia
Curriculum links
History
- WW2 Holland
- Hitler and Nazi Germany
- Persecution of Jews
- Dutch Resistance
- Family Trees
Additional teaching opportunities
1. Writing
- Diary entry (as Mila/Hannie)
- Letter (Mila to parents/Hannie to parents)
- Setting description - Nazi-occupied Holland
- Debate - Hannie's actions
- Character description (Hannie or Mila)
- Non-chronological report (Hitler's Rise to Power)
- Biography
- Recount (Mila's memories/Hannie's recollection of joining the Resistance)
2. PSHE
- Bullying
- Family
- Identity
- Self-belief
- Friendship
- Protected Characteristics
- Morality
3. RE
- Judaism
4. Geography
- Holland
Vocabulary
| Tier 2 | Tier 3 |
|---|---|
| baying, instinctively, dishevelled, dwindling, wearily, exposed, whisked, scurry, beckon, solemnly, pittance | Nazi, Hitler, Holland, Dutch, Jewish, Judaism, Shabbat, Synagogue, Rotterdam, Jood, Resistance, Curfew, Dementia |
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