by Sufiya Ahmed
How wonderful to have an exciting espionage story set during World War 2 which is written for children. Even more exciting is that the main, heroic protagonist is a mixed race, British Indian, Muslim girl. A fabulous role model!
Despite being born to royalty, Rosie Raja behaves without presumptuous expectations. She is gutsy, fiercely loyal and passionate. Despite being a child and against her father’s protective misgivings, she joins the French Resistance where she learns exciting things such as secret codes and terrible things such as betrayal. As a reader, it was fun to decipher the secret codes along with Rosie and her friend Jean.
As well as being an entertaining story, the reader also learns more about The Raj, Indian royalty and people’s attitudes to Ghandi during that time. Furthermore the reader glimpses an insight into the different ways people, especially parents handle grief and the unintentional damage it can cause if we do not talk to one another openly.
Sufiya Ahmed is a wonderful story-teller. I found myself routing for Rosie throughout and terrified on her behalf as the action unfolded.
If you haven’t already read “Noor-Un-Nissa Inayat Khan” which Sufiya Ahmed wrote about a real-life female British Indian World War 2 secret agent, then I thoroughly recommend you read that too.
You can buy “Rosie Raja: Churchill’s Spy” by Sufiya Ahmed online whilst still supporting local bookshops by clicking here.
Rachel Coverdale 