Operation Kinderspion Books in Order

Operation Kinderspion is a two-book World War II spy story centered on Max Bretzfeld, a Jewish boy from Berlin whose life is upended as Nazi persecution grows more dangerous. Max is clever, stubborn, and especially good with radios. He is also furious when his parents send him to England through the Kindertransport, a rescue effort that brought Jewish children out of Nazi-controlled territory.

In Max in the House of Spies, Max arrives in London far from home and determined to get back to his parents. He soon finds himself connected to British intelligence, where his technical skills and quick mind offer a possible route back to Germany. The problem is that becoming a spy is no simple escape plan, and every new lesson makes the risks clearer.

Max does not travel alone. Two immortal creatures, a kobold named Berg and a dybbuk named Stein, appear on his shoulders and become his reluctant, argumentative companions. Their presence adds humor and a touch of folklore to a story grounded in the fear, prejudice, and uncertainty of the late 1930s and early 1940s.

The second book, Max in the Land of Lies, brings Max back to Berlin with forged papers and a dangerous assignment. His British handlers want him to infiltrate the Funkhaus, a major center for Nazi radio and propaganda. Max has another mission of his own, though: find his missing parents. Those competing goals make every decision harder, especially as Nazi intelligence watches closely and the boundary between deception and truth becomes harder to see.

This is high-stakes historical fiction, but Max’s voice, his radio knowledge, and Berg and Stein’s constant commentary keep it moving.

The series does not soften the reality that Jewish families faced under Nazi rule, yet it focuses on a young person’s resourcefulness, loyalty, grief, and determination. It is best read in order because the second novel builds directly on Max’s training, relationships, and unfinished search. Begin with Max in the House of Spies, then continue to Max in the Land of Lies for the conclusion of Max’s mission.