"I was very gripped and loved the involvement with all the characters and how each of them had their own personality."

Freddie (aged 12), Alexandra Park School

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"When I started reading I couldn't put the book down; I loved the action and how all three of the characters were using their strengths to help the war effort. I would definitely read the next one."
Kitty (aged 12), Alexandra Park School

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"Sue Klauber’s debut middle-grade historical novel is children’s historical fiction at its best. Based on the heroic actions and experiences of Sue’s father, uncle and aunt we follow three siblings, George, John and Eva through some of WWII’s most important events that helped to turn the tide of the war. It is full of excellently executed dramatic scenes that will keep young readers turning the pages.

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Written from the points of view of the two brothers George and John, Sue skilfully portrays the effects the Nazi invasion of Eastern Europe had on the Jewish population during the 1940’s. We learn how George was selected to parachute into Slovakia for Operation Zinc and how John became a code breaker at Bletchley park. I was drawn in by the logistics of their missions and the consequent contributions both brothers made to the war effort. 

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Throughout the book there are a series of flashbacks to their childhood. These flashbacks are quite poignant in displaying how the brothers’ relationship has grown and changed in a way young readers can easily relate to. The brothers are very different but family is important to them both. There are no chapters from Eva’s point of view; everything we learn about her, we discover from her brother’s flashbacks and information they have gleaned. 

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Zinc would be ideal as a class text to support a KS2 project on WWII. It provides an insightful reflection of what it was like for the Jews during WWII that could be used to trigger discussions on the events and inspire empathy. "

Anita Loughrey, author

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"In the late 1920s, George, John and their sister Eva lived an idyllic life in rural Hungary, but soon after that, the family fled the Nazi advance and moved to London. By 1938 George is in Germany working for the British Secret Service witnessing Hitler addressing a rally with cries of Sieg Heil – Hail Victory. A year later, in London, John hears Neville Chamberlain announce war with Germany. Through flashbacks to an afternoon in their youth, it becomes clear that George is bold and hot-headed, while John is thoughtful and scholarly. This story tells of how both brothers – and their older sister – contribute to winning the war against Germany.

Drawing on her family history, Sue Klauber has created a tense tale of courage and ingenuity as George is parachuted into Slovakia in Operation ZINC, to get behind enemy lines and carry out a dangerous mission to destroy German train networks, while John is recruited to Bletchley Park to break Nazi secret codes.  As George flees the German army, he finds help in a surprising place.

This pacy story, which will appeal to readers from 10 years upwards, follows the brothers, and Eva, until 1941, telling of their contributions to protecting their adopted country. But it is more than a war story. Through flashbacks to an incident which is sparingly narrated throughout the novel, the relationship between the brothers is explored and gradually, too, through their experiences, the two men, supported and protected by their sister, come to a fuller understanding of what courage means."

Eva  Bearne for Just Imagine

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"Historical novelists like Sue Klauber illuminate events and people in ways that historians cannot, allowing us to experience a more complex truth."

SOE History

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"Zinc is a triumph... a thrilling adventure, full of daring, danger and rich authenticity, which explores the lives of three ordinary young people at an extraordinary time of war when life was anything but normal. It’s a story that reveals how our relationships and decisions are shaped by our experiences and how those decisions impact on our future lives. Written straight from the heart, and with many themes that will strike a chord with contemporary readers, this is a gripping story of one family’s heroic and selfless part in the battle to defeat a brutal enemy."
Pam Norfolk, Lancashire Post

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"Dramatic and moving, I care so much for these three Jewish siblings, I am rooting for them as they continue through WW2, helping the war effort in very different ways. The three siblings have such different experiences, and their reflections on their childhood memories give another dimension which draws even more empathy.

Cobalt is in turn dramatic and moving, even more so knowing the characters are inspired by Sue’s own relatives. Klauber brings these character to life, compelling us to see through their eyes, their very different experiences through WW2.

A moving and captivating read – bringing experiences of WW2 to life in a fresh and different way. There are many stories of WW2 but Klauber’s is unique – following the war efforts of three siblings who play very different roles. A powerful, moving sequel to Klauber’s excellent debut."

Penny Joelson, author of I Have No Secrets