The Messenger Bird – Ruth Eastham, WWII Mystery (Session 2027-28)

The Messenger Bird by Ruth Eastham is a mystery for older children that moves between today and the Second World War. A boy whose father has been arrested gets a clue that leads him back to 1940 and to the secret world of wartime code-breaking. The Scholastic edition has the tagline "The truth can be a dangerous thing" and is a thrilling choice for readers in Class 7 to 9 in the 2027-28 session.

Exams Book House, Shop Number 4, Al Fazal Market, Urdu Bazar, Lahore, supplies it with cash on delivery across Pakistan and delivery to the Gulf countries.

Quick facts about this copy

• Title on the cover: The Messenger Bird, with the line "The truth can be a dangerous thing"
• Author: Ruth Eastham
• Publisher: Scholastic Children's Books, an imprint of Scholastic Ltd (London)
• First published in the UK: 2012 (as printed on the copyright page)
• ISBN of this edition: 9781407124612
• Cover picture: red toy bomber planes hanging on strings, a serious boy in a jacket and a ruined cathedral behind him
• Special detail: the copyright page carries a line of coded letters, which fits the book's theme of ciphers
• Session: a modern mystery for 2027-28 readers

What is The Messenger Bird about?

The story's modern hero is Nathan, a boy whose father works for the government and is suddenly arrested on suspicion of leaking secrets. Before he is taken away, he gives Nathan a clue. It leads to a riddle written in 1940 by a woman who worked in the secret code-breaking centre at Bletchley Park, and from that point two stories run side by side. In the past, a girl named Lily is trying to save her own father, while in the present Nathan is trying to save his.

To follow the trail, Nathan has to solve codes, travel to places that matter in the story and work out whom to trust. The wartime setting, with its air raids and bombed buildings, gives the book a strong sense of place, and the cover with its ruined cathedral hints at that world. The title brings to mind the old idea of a bird carrying a message, which suits a story about messages that travel across time.

The book is for readers who like a mystery with a historical background. It asks what we owe to those who have died, what we should do when we are told to keep secrets and whether the truth is always worth the price. We do not give away more than that, because the fun is in the discovery.

What can you see on the copyright page?

The page shows the dedication ("for Max, Anna and Elena"), then a line of five-letter groups, which is a cipher that the reader can try to break. Below it, the details say that the book was first published in the UK in 2012 by Scholastic Children's Books, an imprint of Scholastic Ltd, with its London address on Eversholt Street, and that it was printed and bound by CPI Group (UK) in Croydon. The text copyright is held by Ruth Eastham (2012), the ISBN is 978 1407 12461 2, and the paper comes from sustainable forests. These details are useful if your school asks for a particular edition.

How the book is built

Our copy's contents list is not shown, so we describe the shape of the story instead of inventing chapter titles.

1. The arrest. The opening pages set up Nathan's problem and the first clue.
2. The trail. Nathan follows the clue and begins to meet people who know part of the story.
3. The wartime thread. The past is told through a girl's eyes, and the reader slowly sees how the two stories fit together.
4. The solution. The last part of the book brings the codes, the secrets and the two time periods to a conclusion.

Who should read it?

• Students in Classes 7 to 9. The book has a fast plot and a clear writing style, but it deals with serious themes, so older primary and early secondary readers are the best audience.
• Mystery and puzzle lovers. The codes give active readers something to try.
• History fans. It is a good way to learn about the Second World War in Britain through a story.
• Teachers who want a modern novel for studying dual narratives, suspense and the way fiction uses history.

Why read it?

It is a page-turner that also teaches. Children learn about code-breaking and the war without feeling that they are being taught. It also shows how two time periods can be woven into one story, which is a useful lesson for any student learning to write narrative. And it is a modern book, which makes a good contrast with classic detective novels such as The Hound of the Baskervilles.

When and how to use it

Read it with a notebook for clues. Try the cipher on the copyright page yourself before you read the book, and keep a list of questions as the story goes on. After finishing, ask your child to explain how the present and past stories connect. A class project could be to make a simple cipher and send a message to a friend.

Is it a good choice for session 2027-28?

Yes. It is a good fiction choice for readers who want something modern for the 2027-28 session, whether for home reading or for a reading circle. If your school has set a specific title or edition, send us your list on WhatsApp.

Other books to read next

• The Hound of the Baskervilles: the classic mystery to compare with it.
• Going Solo: a true story of the war years.
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: a younger, lighter mystery.

Buy it in Urdu Bazar, Lahore

• Shop: Exams Book House, Shop Number 4, Al Fazal Market, Urdu Bazar, Lahore 54000
• Urdu Bazar Lahore book shop number: 0317 4846676 (call or WhatsApp)
• Open: Monday to Saturday, 9 AM – 9 PM; closed on Sunday
• Delivery: all over Pakistan with cash on delivery, and to the Gulf countries

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Frequently asked questions

Is The Messenger Bird right for session 2027-28?

Yes. It is a modern mystery for Classes 7 to 9 in 2027-28. Check your school's list for any specific edition.

What is the ISBN of this edition?

9781407124612, as printed on the copyright page of this Scholastic edition.

Is it a true story?

No, it is fiction, but it uses a real historical background, the code-breaking of the Second World War.

Is it a good book for a reluctant reader?

Yes, if they like puzzles. The fast plot and the codes keep the pages turning.

Do you deliver outside Lahore?

Yes, all over Pakistan with cash on delivery, and to the Gulf countries. WhatsApp 0317 4846676.

Inside the book — contents and sample pages