Cobalt

Written by Sue Klauber

Publication date: September 2024
Ages: 10+
Format: Paperback / 198 x 129 mm / 240 pages
ISBN: 9781912745388
Rights available: World
UK retail price: £8.99

This is the exciting follow-up story to Sue’s debut novel Zinc (2022), in which three Jewish siblings - John, George and Eva - continue to play key roles in the WW2 war effort, encountering high stakes and thrilling adventures in the UK and across war-torn Europe.

George trains in Scotland for a Special Operations Executive (SOE) mission to Poland to help the fighters in the Secret Army.

John, following his code-breaking work at Bletchley Park, is now stationed in Cairo, Egypt, working on plans to deceive Field Marshall Rommel about the location of the impending battle.

Eva, still living in Hungary and working for the Resistance, is finding that life for anyone Jewish is getting harder and harder, as the Nazis tighten their grip over the country.

Will the siblings ever manage to find each other again? They share so many memories, but war keeps them apart.

Like Zinc, Cobalt is based on the extraordinary real-life experiences of Sue Klauber’s father (John), uncle (George) and aunt (Eva). The story highlights the positive and courageous contribution that many immigrants to the UK made during WW2 in helping to defeat the Nazis.

Resources & extras

Sue is available for author events in a variety of contexts, such as schools, libraries and community groups. Find out more, including contact details to discuss an event, in this flyer: Zinc by Sue Klauber: author events.

Take a journey with Sue Klauber on the ‘Words & Pictures’ webzine where she delves behind the scenes of Zinc and talks about the real-life family story that inspired the book: www.wordsandpics.org/2022/11/debut-journeys-sue-klauber

“It’s quite original in children’s and teen fiction to present a Jewish family’s involvement in the war in terms of active service as British citizens, rather than as victims.” View / download Two spies and a code-breaker in the family, Sue’s interview with the Jewish Chronicle.

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