Double Crossed

By: Rebecca E. F. Barone

Published by Henry Holt Books For Young Readers, 2026-04-28

A thrilling WWII middle-grade narrative nonfiction account of Operation Bodyguard, in which the Allied forces used spies and double agents to deceive the Nazis about their true plans for D-Day. In the fall of 1943, German troops controlled nearly all of continental Europe. The one chance the Allies had of punching through the German front meant keeping the enemy distracted and in the dark. They had to take the Germans by surprise on “D-Day.” The mission: trick the Germans into believing the Allies would strike anywhere but their true target, the beaches of Normandy. Featuring historical photos and breathtaking true accounts, Double Crossed tells the exhilarating story of Operation Bodyguard, the mind-boggling effort to lay a false trail for the Germans using fake armies, decoy landings, and the covert work of double agents and spies who risked their lives. With millions of lives hanging in the balance, victory—or defeat—in World War II depended on the Nazis being caught unaware.