For Freedom: The Story of a French Spy

For Freedom: The Story of a French Spy takes place during WWII. This book tells the story of 15 year old opera singer/French spy, Suzanne Davids. While sitting at the beach suddenly the Germans bomb the beach of Cherbourg, France. That's when her life is turned upside down. The Germans are taking over everything, including their house. Yet Suzanne can still manage to become a (semi) famous opera singer. While all this is happening Suzanne takes a visit to the doctor, who just so happens to be a WWII spy! He recruits Suzanne and has her deliver messages to other spies all across France. One day, at the hair salon, she gets caught and is taken to be interrogated by the Germans. When abruptly the Germans leave and she learns that everyone show more except herself and a fellow spy have been killed. But this was the day that the Allies had invaded Germany, and saved Suzanne´s life.

This book was absolutely amazing. It was almost as if I was floating when reading it. The author Kimberly Brubaker Bradley is astounding. One of my favorite type of book is nonfiction WWII, or semi-fictionalized such as For Freedom. This book has so far been my favorite in the category. I would most definitely recommend For Freedom: The Story of a French Spy to everybody. Whether they like WWII books or not, I’m sure they would like this book. I feel as if the reader will really be able to relate to the emotions that are felt by characters in the book because they are so well describe by Bradley. show less

I enjoy reading about different resistance movements during World War II and Kimberly Brubaker Bradley has a writing style that makes it hard to put down once you get started! Based on a true story.

Content considerations:

The first chapter has a scene where a bomb is dropped and the main character discovers the body of a pregnant neighbor.

An intriguing coming of age story of a school girl training in to sing opera during German occupation of France. Her Catholic faith inspires her to pray for strengh on a daily basis. The beginning scene is horrific and pulls the reader in. Suzanne and her best friend witness death after a bombing. Suzanne's reaction is a determination to be strong. Her friend is psychologically affected by the trauma. Who would think that a family doctor and music student would be spies for Charles De Gaul.

Despite the horrors of World War II, a French teenager pursues her dream of becoming an opera singer, which takes her to places where she gains information about what the Nazis are doing--information that the French Resistance needs.
Lexile: 520 [view chart]

Suzanne is a school-girl living in France with her family when Germany invades and Nazi soldiers move into her home. Her life changes dramatically as she goes from school girl, to opera star, to spy for the French Resistance.

Other books to try: Anne Frank and Me, Greater than Angels, When My Name Was Keoko, The Man from the Other Side

Other books by the author: Midget, River Boy

Novel based on the author’s interviews with the real Suzanne David Hall, a teen French spy during World War 2.

$5.50