Siblings Ilse and Wolf hide a deep secret in their blood: with it, they can work magic. And the government just found out. Blackmailed into service during World War II, Ilse lends her magic to Americas newest weapon, the atom bomb, while Wolf goes behind enemy lines to sabotage Germanys nuclear program. Its a dangerous mission, but if Hitler were to create the bomb first, the results would be catastrophic. When Wolfs plane is shot down, his entire mission is thrown into jeopardy. Wolf needs Ilses help to develop the magic that will keep him alive, but with a spy afoot in Ilses laboratory, the letters she sends to Wolf begin to look treasonous. Can Ilse prove her loyaltyand find a way to help her brotherbefore their time runs out? “An absorbing blend of historical fiction, mystery, and magical realism.” — Kirkus Reviews on The Girl with the Red Balloon "One of the most memorable reads of 2017.” — Paste Magazine on The Girl with the Red Balloon “This sophisticated, unusual work is likely to appeal to fans of World War II and Holocaust fiction, as well as those who like their history with a tinge of romance and magic.” — School Library Journal on The Girl with the Red Balloon “Locke’s is an enthralling story. It exposes the cruelties inflicted on minority populations under authoritarian regimes, but counterbalances such pain with magic, friendship, and even a little romance.” — Foreword Reviews on The Girl with the Red Balloon "Ilse is a complicated, fascinating protagonist, and her scientific mind will draw in teens... it has broad appeal for alt-history and urban fantasy readers." — Booklist "An entertaining and thoughtful sequel." — Foreword Review "A fast-moving read sure to delight those who enjoy historical fiction." — School Library Journal Katherine Locke lives in a very small town outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with her feline overlords. In addition to fiction, she writes about books and reading and has contributed to The Forward, The GayYA, Teen Librarian Toolbox, and other sites. The Girl with the Red Balloon was her YA debut. The Spy with the Red Balloon By Katherine Locke Albert Whitman & Company Copyright © 2018 Katherine Locke All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-8075-2934-8 CHAPTER 1 NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK AUGUST 15, 1943 ILSE Sometimes, I thought I might drown in all the marvels of this world. Usually this happened when I saw planes flying and thought about all the engineering work and experimentation that had turned metal cylinders into modes of transportations and weapons of war. Sometimes this happened when I turned on the faucet and water flowed out, having been plumbed through a network of pipes designed by teams who'd thought about the past, present, and future needs of the city's residents. Or, when I experienced the changing seasons, caused by the tilt of the earth. The idea that something off-kilter could cause anything as beautiful as the seasons regularly astonished me. Imagine how dull our lives would be if the earth had an upright axis, like a chandelier hung from the ceiling. Today, the drowning happened because the sky was a wild sort of blue. The type of blue you could fall into, and when you tipped your head back, you'd only see blue in every direction. It was dizzying. "Ilse," said Wolf, ever patient. "Do you know why the sky's blue?" I asked him, squinting upward, even though Mama would have yelled at me about how my face would wrinkle and I'd never find a husband. "You're going to tell me anyway." He wasn't wrong. I suppose that's the thing about siblings. They know you like no one else does. "Light," I said. "The blue light scatters farther from the sun's rays than red light." "I'm going to pretend to understand that for the purposes of this experiment," Wolf said. "Do you think that light affects it?" The last word pulled me out of my reverie and I looked down at him, blinking rapidly as spots splashed across my vision and the cone cells in the back of my eyes adjusted to the rapid change in light. Wolf came into focus in front of me, a frown crossing his face. He never used to frown this much, but he'd lost his sense of humor the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. So far, neither Hitler nor the Emperor nor Wolf's frown seemed likely to surrender. "Magic doesn't appear to be affected by light." I thought about our prior experiments, the ones done in our rooms late at night after Papa went to bed. "But to verify that, we'd have to test under multiple weather conditions throughout multiple times of day, or expose something with activated magic to —" "Shhh, Ilse. Keep it down." Wolf huffed, looking around with a scowl as if we weren't at least a hundred yards from the nearest person. "I still don't think we should be here. But since you insist, please stop saying that word so loudly." I continued. "Different wavelengths. It's not a bad idea. We can add it to the list." "We don't have a list," Wolf said, but slowly, as if he