Introduction by Heavy Medal Award Committee Member Elaine Fultz
Every year, new middle-grade novels set in WW2 are published. Some might think, “Another one? Is there anything new to say?” The answer is YES! Year after year, authors craft new perspectives, characters and plots set in this time period that wow readers. Of course, it’s Adam Gidwitz (author of 2017 Newbery Honor The Inquisitor’s Tale) who spins a genre-blending story for us in 2024’s MAX IN THE HOUSE OF SPIES.
Thus, our first Newbery criteria are met – this remarkable story is individually distinct, the setting is clearly defined, and its [excellent] interpretation of theme/concept is evident on every page. “A hundred thoughts drifted through Max’s mind. About the stories we tell ourselves. And each other. Another word for stories, Max thought, is lies.” (pg. 153)
Max is a young German Jew who is a genius with wiring especially in radios. His parents send him away on a Kinderstransport to London where he experiences bullies, including a really foul teacher, and a seemingly nice wealthy British Jewish family.
As the plot thickens, readers will delight in page-turning to dig deeper into the story.
“[Max] had no clue that this person recognized the radio station that Max was listening to, recognized immediately that it was the Berlin broadcast, coming through loud and clear – as it couldn’t just an hour before. And Max certainly had no idea that the person listening through the door was a spy.” (pg. 36)
From the brilliant practical jokes Max executes at school to the unnerving spy tryout (interrogation), the plot development is stellar. Descriptive passages are rare, while the dialogue and abundant action are omnipresent. All the while, Max is accompanied by the folkloric creatures Stein und Berg. Berg is a kobold (from Merriam-Webster: an often mischievous domestic spirit of German folklore) and Stein is a dybbuk (from the Jewish Virtual Library: an evil spirit which enters into a living person, cleaves to his soul, causes mental illness, talks through his mouth, and represents a separate and alien personality). Gidwitz is playful with his take on these creatures of legend. As Max’s vexatious sidekicks, these two are a mashup of the shoulder angel & devil and the cantankerous but comical Muppets, Statler and Waldorf.
All the characters in this book are individually distinct and fit exactly into the 1,000 piece puzzle Gidwitz has placed before us. Since this is a novel set in WW2, the presentation of information is crucial. MAX IN THE HOUSE OF SPIES meets this criterion, too, with flying colors.
“That’s the Haus des Rundfunks, also know as the Funkhaus. Where all of Berlin’s radio stations are broadcast from. The most important broadcasting station in Germany.” (pg. 263)
As for appropriateness of style and presentation for a young audience, the bleak story of Max’s losses is mixed with the wit of Stein und Berg, as well as Max’s hope for a future as a spy. The variety of story elements keeps a reader engaged, whether they are new to the topic of WW2, or are a connoisseur of historical fiction depicting this era.
Numerous stories about spies and codes were published in 2024. Is it children’s literature zeitgeist or something else? In the end, there is more spying to be done and deadly Nazis to defeat. Thankfully, we are promised a sequel. But first, can Gidwitz’s Max win him Newbery gold?
Heavy Medal Award Committee members and others are now invited to discuss this book further in the Comments section below. Let the Mock Newbery discussion begin!