World War II spy Virginia Hall was born and raised on a farm in Maryland. Her parents took her abroad when she was three, awakening a life-long fascination with travel and adventure. She was in France when Hitler was recognized as the threat he was. When Germany overtook France, she became a part of the French Resistance. She used the skills she learned on her family farm to disguise herself as a humble milkmaid who couldn’t possibly be a spy. All the while she was observing and reporting troop movements to her British and Americans spymasters. After the war, she went on to valuable work within the Office of Strategic Services, which later became the Central Intelligence Agency. This book, and its fascinating illustrations, will help readers understand the importance of Virginia Hall’s work and the groundbreaking services she performed for America and its allies.
This is a vital book for any study of World War II history, spycraft, codebreaking, and women’s studies. We have prepared a Bookstorm to help lay out options for you. Age ranges are provided for each book, from ages 8 to adult, knowing that some of you will want to supplement your own knowledge of the discussion subjects in Virginia was a Spy.
In each Bookstorm™, we offer a bibliography of books that have close ties to the the featured book. We’ve included books, articles, websites, and videos for a variety of tastes and interests.
Downloadables
Bookstorm Virginia was a Spy
Bookmap Virginia was a Spy
You’ll find more information about Catherine Urdahl on her website. You’ll find excellent teaching guide resources. Gary Kelly, the illustrator, can be found here.
BOOKSTORM TOPICS
About Virginia Hall. Articles and videos about Virginia add to the research sources for your students.
Cheesemaker. Making cheese provided a cover for Virginia’s spying activities. Here are some excellent videos about the work of a cheesemaker.
Fiction Featuring Spies. From Code Name Verity to Harriet the Spy, you’ll find a selection of books for a range of ages, ideal for independent reading.
Limb Loss. Her wooden leg provided another element of cover for Virginia Hall. We suggest more books about people who persevered.
Resistance Fighters. There are a good number of books about people who resisted the occupying forces from Patricia Polacco’s The Butterfly to Russell Freedman’s We Will Not Be Silent.
Spies and Spycraft. From how-tos to biographies to anthologies, your students will love delving into these books.
World War II. Both fiction and nonfiction are available for readers who want to learn more about the people, places, and situations in “the war to end all wars.”
Let us know how you are making use of this Bookstorm™. Share your ideas and any other books you’d add to this Bookstorm™.