George Washington's Spies (Totally True Adventures)

This is from a series called Totally True Adventures, and I purchased it in the hope that it would be a good candidate for my school library. The number of pages and readability level would be suitable for 9 and 10 year olds and the subject was certainly interesting. It might be a great class read aloud, but it was a little too academic for a 3rd or 4th grader looking for historical fiction.The series title, "Totally True Adventures" is actually quite accurate. The reader does not see the action through the eyes of a fictional kid with whom he can relate. It is a pretty straightforward accounting of the undercover spy activities of a group of brave patriots selected by George Washington to help the rebel cause. There are a great number of names to keep straight and the figures come and go frequently. To make it more meaningful for a child I would definitely suggest reading it with a map near by and also have some fun creating codes and ciphers.

Like it's gorgeous ruby red cover, this gem of a book tells a fascinating and little-known story in such an engaging and thought-provoking style that readers will be eager to explore more.