(1) YA Bletchley Park, a World War II cryptology center, operated in the English countryside where an extensive and complicated code-breaking operation allowed the Allies to decipher secret messages sent through German Enigma machines. Those transmissions included enemy plans for naval attacks, ship locations, ground positions, and bombing targets, and Fleming (Crash from Outer Space, rev. 11/22, among many others) reveals that the feat of decoding the thousands of pieces of information every day was largely executed by teenage girls and young women. Recruited with little or no knowledge of what their jobs would be, the code breakers were sworn to secrecy--an oath that would remain unbroken for over thirty years. Fleming's account focuses on ten such young women (one of whom is an offsite radio operator) but, in a masterful presentation of related subject matter, seamlessly intersperses segments on larger historical events, beginning with the Battle of Britain and concluding with V-J Day; clear and thorough explanations of codes and ciphers; and technical advances that led to the use of computers. The girls' personal experiences, from coping with housing shortages, to falling in love, to discovering their future life's work, adds another dimension. Amid the often-tedious work of breaking the ciphers, moments of humanity appear: the joy of pinpointing an enemy bombing target on British soil; the recognition that a freshly bloodstained Nazi cipher book meant "somewhere this German airman was still bleeding, dying maybe...That really did bring the war close." Appended with an author's note, a bibliography of both primary and secondary sources, source notes, and an (unseen) index.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(1) 4-6 This debut graphic novel introduces readers to Helga Sharp, a unique and entertaining iteration of the plucky heroine. Tired of boarding school, Helga sets off to rescue the owner of the mysterious voice emanating from her newly built transistor radio. It's not long before she finds herself on the shores of a mysterious island, where the mainland has secretly exiled its "mad scientists." Erasmus Lope is among them, an infamous investigator who was presumed dead after a huge explosion, but who lives confined inside a large red crystal as the titular Prisoner of Shiverstone. Helga succeeds in liberating Erasmus, but even more importantly, she finds a way to liberate herself from the expectations others have placed on her. In the process, she rewardingly also finds a home. The quirky characters and inventive world-building are largely products of the cartoonish style of the gouache and watercolor illustrations, while the composition and layout of the comic panels help the outlandish plot zip along. This delightful confection will entice readers with a good mix of fantasy, mystery, and action.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2022

(3) 4-6 In 1949 Brooklyn, Lily Lupino wants to be an astronaut, but her parents forbid her from even listening to a space radio serial. Lily cuts her hair short in protest and finds herself spirited away to "Outer Outer Space" by child Spacetronaut Kosmo Kidd. Lily proves that girls can indeed be space explorers as she and Kosmo battle child-hating space villains. Retro illustrations capture the madcap vintage-space-opera action.

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(3) 1-3 Ada Lace Adventure series. Illustrated by Renée Kurilla. In her third outing, scientifically minded third-grade inventor Ada Lace starts using a ham radio, connecting with a formerly annoying neighbor and the International Space Station--though not to alien lifeforms, to her friend's relief. This strong, STEM-focused series values experimentation and exploration; science and story are equally accessible to newly independent readers, aided by inviting grayscale illustrations and concluding "Behind the Science" explanations.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) 4-6 Alternator Books: STEM Smackdown series. These lively narratives investigate controversies surrounding who actually developed widely used STEM advances. Each text traces an invention's history, technology, and development by following the contest between two people, each of whom have claimed to be the true inventor. Well-designed with captioned color and black-and-white photographs, paintings, and diagrams, the books should intrigue readers and encourage further research. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Alternator Books: STEM Smackdown titles: Who Invented the Light Bulb?, Who Invented the Radio?, Who Invented the Telephone?, Who Invented the Airplane?, Who Invented the Movie Camera?, and Who Invented the Television?

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(2) 4-6 In 1938, Orson Welles's War of the Worlds radio broadcast caused widespread panic and hysteria. Jarrow infuses her tightly plotted narrative with plenty of drama and suspense while weaving in sufficient background information, biographical vignettes, and play-by-play commentary to establish context. She concludes with a discussion of some subsequent hoaxes. Despite the book's somewhat stodgy design, it's an admirable feat of nonfiction storytelling. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(3) YA Tyson's popular StarTalk radio programs--which seem to cover nearly every aspect of science (and even some science fiction)--are adapted into a book for teens, arranged by the broad topics of "Space," "Planet Earth," "Being Human," and "Futures Imagined." In each segment, an engaging series of questions and answers are accompanied by photographs and quotes from the show's celebrity and scientist guests.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(2) YA Black South African schoolgirl Neo worships music more than anything--until she meets Tale, a mesmerizing young woman singer. Neo's rapidly shifting world, in which she experiences her first love, first sex, and first Pride march, is stunning in its immediacy. The painfully intimate, lyrical narrative draws readers into Neo's head with poetic prose that breathes and pulsates with her attractions, dreams, fears, and eventual tragedy.

Reviewer: Anastasia M. Collins | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2018

(3) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: STEM Superstar Women series. Each volume provides a succinct overview of a trailblazing woman in STEM. The subjects' childhoods, education, numerous obstacles (many times because of their gender), and achievements are explained in readable prose. Archival photographs, sidebars, and fact boxes help to highlight each woman's importance in her field. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Library: STEM Superstar Women titles: Grace Hopper, Hedy Lamarr, Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Katherine Johnson, Rosalind Franklin, and Ada Lovelace.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jacqui Lee. A young hockey fan is tucked into bed before the end of a hockey game he's watching, but tunes in via the radio under his pillow; as the boy drifts off, he dreams himself into the game to score the winning goal. Lee's gouache art, dominated by icy aqua-blue and punctuated with pops of yellow, pairs nicely with this nostalgic yet still relatable childhood scenario.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(2) YA In 1962 Colorado, the Mexican American Soria family has the power to work miracles. Daniel Soria has broken a taboo by falling in love with one of the pilgrims seeking the family's help and has exiled himself to the desert, starting a chain of events that will upset their dysfunctional community. Paying homage to Latin American magical realism, Stiefvater employs evocative and philosophical prose and matter-of-fact strangeness.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2017

(3) 4-6 Media Genius series. A wide scope of information about creating, producing, and sharing one's own podcast is divided up into five chapters that include helpful instructions, success stories, pro tips, podcast recommendations, and safety warnings for the young producer. The page design is a tad crowded, but this appropriately detailed overview will be helpful for both beginners and readers with some podcasting experience. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jana Christy. Seven concentrates on Sinatra's formative years in Hoboken--where Frankie's mother, who supported his early passion for singing, lined up gigs for him around town--and concludes with Sinatra's radio and film successes. A well-paced narrative and energetic illustrations with warm color washes convey Sinatra's unique appeal: "Frankie's voice was like a reassuring pat on the back." An author's note includes song suggestions. Bib.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) YA When spunky, independent Gabby Perez talks about date-rape drugs on her radio show, she discovers an underage prostitution ring in her Miami neighborhood. Then she meets "X"--the alluring leader of a vigilante gang that rescues prostitution victims. Gabby and X's romance is hasty, but fans of van Diepen's urban fiction (including companion On the Edge) will enjoy their steamy connection and fast-paced investigation.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(3) 1-3 Alien in My Pocket series. Illustrated by Macky Pamintuan. The latest installments in this silly series packs comic punches as Amp, the small blue alien, continues to wreak havoc on human Zack's life. While packaged for maximum reluctant-reader appeal, the book will engage new readers with entertaining plots, believable characters, humorous black-and-white line illustrations, and palatable science; each volume includes a related science experiment, appropriately detailed for elementary students. Review covers these Alien in My Pocket titles: On Impact! and Radio Active.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(4) 4-6 Johnny supports his disabled father after his Air National Guard brother leaves for a secret mission. When Pa builds a military radio and starts sending messages in Spanish, they're drawn into a dangerous scheme extending far beyond their small town. Despite some far-fetched plot points, Johnny's distinctive narration immerses readers in experiences of racial tension and Cold War paranoia in the Deep South.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(3) YA Fourteen-year-old Cece Maloney will do anything to be a radio star, so she charms her way into a typing job at CBS studios and awaits her chance. Her secrets and those of her friends and family come to a head on the eve of Orson Welles's War of the Worlds broadcast. Cece's innocence is fetching, as is Brendler's 1938 New York setting.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(4) K-3 Great Idea series. Illustrated by Richard Rudnicki. This picture book biography recounts the story of how a young Italian boy became the father of modern wireless technology. Marconi's love of science and his fascination with Ben Franklin's discoveries in electricity led him, through trial and error, to eventually send a message between England and Newfoundland via his wireless telegraph. Mediocre acrylic paintings accompany the brief but informative text.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Tim Jessell. In post–WWII Maryland, Chuck is fascinated with radios, radar, and space travel. Although he struggles in school, Chuck can build anything and has a "genius" mind for understanding schematics. He and his younger sister build a prototype for a space capsule, albeit with ill-gotten materials. The novel contains plenty of adventure and action, but coincidences strain credulity and subplots bog down the story.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(2) YA In 1946, the producers of the Superman radio show deployed their character's popularity in a campaign against bigotry. Bowers explains how he dug through myths, examined original archives, and reached tentative conclusions about what most likely happened and why. A complex history of organizations guided by both ideology and profit, people both well-meaning and flawed, and shifts in popular sentiment. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: J.L. Bell | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2012