Code Name Verity

Code Name Verity

• Genre: Fiction; young adult historical
• Originally Published: 2012
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 1020L; grades 9-12
• Structure/Length: Part 1 (15 chapters), Part 2 (no chapter divisions); approx. 368 pages; approx. 10 hours on audio
• Protagonist and Central Conflict: Two British women—Julie, a spy, and Margaret, a pilot—are best friends working behind enemy lines in occupied France during World War II.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Wartime violence, death, and torture

Elizabeth Wein, Author

• Bio: Born in New York City in 1964; moved to England when she was 3; attended Yale University; obtained a PhD in Folklore at the University of Pennsylvania; currently lives in Scotland with her husband; has a private pilot’s license
• Other Works: Rose Under Fire (2013); The Pearl Thief (2017); The Enigma Game (2020)
• Awards: Edgar Award (2013); Boston Globe/Horn Book Award Honor Book (2013); Printz Honor Book (2013)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:

• Friendship
• Valor
• The Nature of Truth
• Women’s Roles in World War II

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:

• Gain an understanding of the cultural and social forces that shaped World War II and, in turn, have influenced historical fiction set in this period.
• Study paired texts and other brief resources to make connections via the text’s themes of Friendship, Valor, and Women’s Roles in World War II.
• In small groups, research and create a brief presentation that explores the life and times—and, often, the tragic demise—of real-world female spies in World War II.
• Analyze and evaluate the plot and character details to draw conclusions in structured essay responses regarding the nature of the protagonists’ friendship, the motivations of key peripheral characters like Anna Engel, and other topics.