This post was written by high school student Lena Katir, a participant in the Informal Learning Office’s 2024 summer teen internship program, and a teen volunteer at the National Book Festival. This is the first in a series of posts written by teen reporters from the 2024 National Book Festival sharing about their experiences. The teens were mentored in writing their blogs by Jennifer Ezell and Alli Hartley-Kong. You can learn more about Lena’s internship project in this blog post.
At the 2024 National Book Festival, I had an eye-opening experience attending the Young Coders and Codebreakers in Wartime panel with Candace Fleming and Monica Hesse. What struck me immediately was how little I knew about the role of women in codebreaking during both world wars—contributions that are seldom spoken about and often left out of classroom curriculums. It was fascinating to learn about the pivotal roles they played in wartime intelligence through Fleming’s “The Enigma Girls” and Hesse’s “The Brightwood Code”, which tell the stories of young women who were thrust into a covert battle, armed with intellect and resilience in an effort to decode messages critical to the war effort rather than weapons.
Both authors did a phenomenal job of immersing the audience in the worlds of their young female characters. The panelists offered us a glimpse behind the scenes as they delved into the challenges of writing historical fiction and non-fiction, sharing how being bound by the facts often meant making difficult decisions about which information or themes to omit. At time stamp 6:31 in the recorded panel, Monica Hesse explained that her guiding question for the authentic portrayal of her characters’ lives and emotions was always: “What did it mean to be alive during the time you’re writing about?”
This question of what it means to be alive during a historic period stuck with me because it’s not just relevant to historical fiction or the experiences of people during wartime; it’s a question that resonates with every generation. Whether it’s the intense uncertainty of living through a world war or navigating today’s fast-changing, tech-driven world, every era presents its own unique challenges and opportunities.
To capture the essence of any era, you need to understand what it felt like to live through it, and listening to Fleming and Hesse talk about the research process required to produce historically grounded work really puts that into perspective. For example, at minute mark 5:53, Hesse described her 360-degree approach to research, which involves everything from discovering the popular foods and books of the time to understanding the intricate daily routines of her characters. For her protagonist, a switchboard operator, this meant delving into how switchboards functioned and speaking with specialists who could help her picture the job’s nuances. Fleming shared her own challenges in grasping the workings of the Enigma machine at minute mark 12:42, recounting how a scientist carefully explained it to her—yet some aspects remained unclear. Their writing journeys reveal how they went beyond traditional research methods, actively immersing themselves in their characters’ worlds to understand their experiences from the inside out.
At minute mark 7:32, Fleming describes the lives of young codebreakers—how they had to leave everything behind, work in secrecy, and never speak of their contributions to anyone. This discussion also resonated with me because it highlighted a level of sacrifice that’s hard to comprehend today. I remember hearing someone in the audience behind me whisper, “I could never.” But these young women serving as codebreakers could—and they did. They broke codes, kept secrets, and carried the weight of war without ever explicitly expecting recognition. Imagine that—being part of a legacy-changing event, knowing that no one will ever publicly celebrate you for it. It was a good reminder of the unseen sacrifices many individuals make today.
The authors also discussed why they chose to present these stories through young characters at minute mark 24:19, citing their weightlessness—freedom from the burdens and preconceived notions that often accompany age—as a source of fresh and unguarded perspectives on the world. As I looked around at the audience, filled with teens like myself, it made me realize how youth have always been powerful agents of change.
While the experiences of the characters in “The Brightwood Code” and “The Enigma Girls” are set in the past, their drive to make a difference feels timeless. Today, we have platforms like social media where many young audiences can speak out and create change in real-time. Advocacy that we see today reflects the same determination to make an impact that the young codebreakers had in the novels. I thought about the question the authors posed earlier: what did it mean to live during a certain time period, and it struck me that every generation finds its own way to rise to the challenges of its era.
I myself love historical fiction, and I think that’s what makes it so powerful. It breathes life into these untold stories, bringing hidden heroines into the light. The Library of Congress is home to numerous collections that accomplish just that. The Veterans History Project Collection is one of many great resources that preserve the firsthand narratives of U.S. military veterans, including the women and minorities whose stories have often been overshadowed. Women like Elizabeth Bennet helped break diplomatic codes related to the Normandy landing and Japanese military locations.
At minute mark 1:50 in her oral history, Bennet shared how she and a few classmates secretly attended cryptanalysis classes, often lying about their whereabouts—a sacrifice that mirrors the experiences of young women in Hesse’s and Fleming’s novels.
Ellenora Barker also served during World War II. As a cryptographer, she worked with critical intelligence, helping to decipher coded messages for Naval officers.
Reflecting on this panel and experience, I am reminded that while we may not be called to break ciphers in our daily lives, we are still able to make a difference. Sometimes in silence, sometimes in ways that history won’t remember, but always in ways that matter.
Time Stamps:
- 16:40: Hesse explains the difference between writing young adult and adult fiction
- 29:15: Planner or “pantser”? The authors share about writing routines and upcoming projects
- 34:31: Hello fellow kids and cake! Hesse and Fleming discuss the timelessness of historical fiction and the balance of accuracy and creativity needed to keep young readers engaged
- 38:20: Advice for young audiences
- 57:02: The authors give advice on how audiences can navigate banned books and restricted access to certain themes
After watching the Young Coders and Codebreakers in Wartime panel with Candace Fleming and Monica Hesse, think about the discussion prompts below.
- Imagine you were part of a mission that could help your country, but you weren’t allowed to tell anyone about it. How would you feel, and how might you explain your absence or secrecy to your friends or family?
- How do you see young people making a difference today, in your community or the world? Are there any examples of change you’ve seen or contributed to, big or small, that you’re proud of?
- What kinds of things would you want to research if you were writing a book about something important to you?