The winner of the 2021 Ngaio Marsh Award for Younger Readers, KATIPO JOE is an almost pitch perfect vehicle for older kids (12+) to get some insights into the reality of war, and how identity can come with consequences, and loyalty is hard.

A 12 year old New Zealand boy living in Berlin in 1938, Joe's parents are diplomats, and they all watch as the Nazi's rise in power, and the mistreatment of local Jews escalates. Discovering his parents are actually spies causes a big enough shock in Joe's world, but when is father is arrested by the Gestapo, Joe and his mother manage to get out of Germany, by the skin of their teeth. Joe's mother heads for London, but sends him home to the safety of New Zealand at the same time, although by 1941 Joe has stowed away, heading for London, in search of his mother. By then it's 1941, he arrives in the middle of the blitz, bombs falling all around, only to discover the addresses on his mother's letters don't exist. A brief sighting of her outside Churchill's War Rooms becomes the last he knows of her, as he finds out that she's then presumed dead in a bombing.

His presence has been noticed however, and he's recruited by MI5 on the most dangerous of missions - to infiltrate the Hitler Youth movement, and assassinate a prominent Nazi general.

Styled very much as an adventure novel, this reads like a rip-snorting thriller, but, even if you've not read the blurb, there's an underlying sense of truth in this story, with historical accuracy and authority. Joe's such a believable, sympathetic, tricky character he leaps off the page, whether he's reeling from the mistreatment of Jews, determined to get out of the safety of New Zealand to be with his mother where he believes he belongs, or taking up such a dangerous and deadly mission. Arriving in London at the height of the blitz his fear is palpable, as is his determination, and his sense of right and wrong - which takes a battering and somehow returns time and time again.

If, as the blurb puts it, the story of KATIPO JOE is "Inspired by true events, ... a story of incredible heroism, unlikely friendships and unbearable tragedy, set against the backdrop of World War II." then we need more Joes in this world, and a lot less war. Here's hoping a lot of young people get a chance to read books like this, and to work through the challenges it raises.

https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/katpio-joe-blitzkrieg-brian-falkner

One might be tempted to think, "Another novel set during World War Two... !", or, "Another teenage spy... !", and one would be correct in both cases but with the opposite of the implied Oh No. Because this teenage spy develops from a naive boy joining in with his friends' Jew-baiting in Nazi Germany to a lad who is as accomplished and ruthless as any hard-bitten spy during the war.

At each stage of this book the voice is excellent. The adult reader may be horrified by the boy's willingness to attack Jews verbally and damage their property, but of course his diplomat parents couldn't let him know that they weren't in favour of his hanging out with the Hitler Youth wannabees. Then when Joe begins to see the horror of the hatred, the reader hears the realisation and feels Joe's own terror as he and his mother must flee for their lives. Later in London during the Blitz we have once more Joe's new understanding of the world and his growing friendship with a group of 'sewer rats'. It's great to see the development of maturity.

Throughout the book there are little snippets from an elderly Joe's memoirs - a nice touch. And at the end there's a glossary and a few historical photos should the reader want some factual background to this engrossing novel.