Max in the Land of Lies: A Tale of World War II (Operation Kinderspion) - Softcover

Gidwitz, Adam

Softcover

ISBN 10: 059311213X ISBN 13: 9780593112137

Publisher: Penguin Random House, 2026

Synopsis

Instant New York Times bestseller! USA Today bestseller!

“A heartrending masterpiece of middle-grade historical fiction.″ –Booklist, starred review

“The whip-smart combination of intrigue and adventure along with thought-provoking reflection makes for a nail-biting, laugh-out loud, stop-and-think read.” –School Library Journal, starred review

“A headlong thriller laced with provocative and topical historical truths.” –Kirkus, starred review

Max Bretzfeld is back in Berlin where his most dangerous mission is about to begin! The thrilling conclusion to the World War II spy duology that began with Max in the House of Spies.

Max is on a mission.
Well, two missions.

One has been assigned by his British spymasters: Infiltrate the Funkhaus, the center of Nazi radio and propaganda.

The other they have forbidden: Find his parents.

Max Bretzfeld was willing to do anything to return to Germany, even become a British spy. Training complete and forged papers in hand, the radio wunderkind’s missions have begun. But nothing is as he expected. His parents are missing. Nazi intelligence is watching him. And the lines between lies and truth are becoming more blurred every day. Max will need every tool at his disposal, from his radio expertise and spy training to the help of Berg and Stein, the immortal creatures living on his shoulders. Even so, there’s no guarantee he’ll make it out of Berlin alive.

About this title

About the Author

Bestselling author Adam Gidwitz was a teacher for eight years. He told countless stories to his students, who then demanded he write his first book, A Tale Dark & Grimm. Adam has since written two companion novels, In a Glass Grimmly and The Grimm Conclusion. He is also the author of The Inquisitor’s Tale, which won the Newbery Honor, and The Unicorn Rescue Society series. Adam still tells creepy, funny fairy tales live to kids on his podcast Grimm, Grimmer, Grimmest—and at schools around the world. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, daughter, and dog, Lucy Goosey.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Max needed to focus.

He was on a mission.

Well, two missions.

Mission One: infiltrate the Funkhaus, the center of Nazi radio and propaganda. This was the mission his British spymasters knew about. It was why they’d sent him.

Mission Two: find his parents. Mission Two was forbidden. Max’s spymaster and adopted uncle, Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu, had made him promise not to go looking for his parents. Max had promised. He had lied.

Two missions. One twelve-year-old Jewish boy in Nazi Germany. What’s the worst that could happen? Max asked himself. That was a joke. He knew what could happen. What probably would happen.

Just focus. Take it one piece at a time. Like assembling a watch. That’s what his papa would have told him.

First piece: Get to my apartment building. Without getting caught.

The lights at the edge of the field turned out to be a couple of houses. Good.

Max figured where there were houses, there had to be a road.

He was right. The road was long and thin and newly paved.

Max looked left and right. “Which way to Berlin?” he murmured.

Stein pointed down the road. “Berlin is that way.”

“You’re sure?” Max asked.

“Let me think . . .” said Stein, the immortal dybbuk on Max's left shoulder. “I’ve lived in Germany since the Sixth Day of Creation, and while the pavement is new, this road has been here since at least 1640—”

“And it was an oxcart path since the 1300s,” put in Berg, the eternal kobold on his right shoulder.
“—so, yeah. I’m pretty sure,” Stein concluded. “Any other dumb questions?”

Edition details

• Publisher: Penguin Random House
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 059311213X
• ISBN 13: 9780593112137
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 352