Nothing Sung and Nothing Spoken Book (Paperback)

RELEASE DATE - 7 DECEMBER 2023

Reading level - 16 years and up.

It is the summer before World War II begins, but Charlotte Kraus doesn’t know it yet. All she knows is the zing of electricity she feels every time her best friend, Angelika Haas, grabs her hand. Charlie would follow Geli anywhere—which is how she finds herself at an underground club one Friday night, dancing to contraband American jazz and swing music, suddenly feeling that anything might be possible.

Under the oppressive shadow of the Nazi regime, returning to the club is a risk. But Charlie does, unable to resist the allure of sharing a secret with the girl she can’t stop thinking about, or the thrill of disobeying the Party’s rules. Soon the Swingjugend movement becomes more than a simple escape. It’s a place where Charlie and her friends find acceptance, freedom, and camaraderie among others who are determined not to sit on the sidelines of history.

Increasingly terrified by the tightening vise of Hitler’s power, Charlie is drawn to larger and larger acts of resistance—even as Geli, the daughter of a senior Party officer, begins to pull away. But resisting the Nazis is a dangerous proposition, and the war will test what Charlie is willing to risk at the expense of her family, her friends, and the girl she loves.

“A heartbreaking and bittersweet novel about the need for queer joy even in the midst of the horrors of war. The ending had me in tears.”
Malinda Lo, New York Times bestselling and National Book Award–winning author of Last Night at the Telegraph Club

“Layers and layers of secrecy, the constant terror of being caught, the ecstatic joy of being with other Swing Kids—these elements combine to create an engaging, vivid scene. A compelling story."
Booklist (starred review)

"A powerful story of complicity and resistance in WW2 Germany, and a reminder that we all have a choice to make in the face of oppression. Its jaw-dropping ending will live in your heart long after you finish this book."
Jordyn Taylor, author of The Paper Girl of Paris

“Nothing Sung and Nothing Spoken captured my heart from the very first lines and held me breathless to the end. The feelings between these girls—in friendship and in love—are as intense as the situation in Berlin as World War II rages on around them. Perfect for Code Name Verity fans looking for their next tale of wartime devotion.”
Kip Wilson, author of White Rose

“A captivating story about coming of age during World War II.”
School Library Journal