Toliver's Secret

We used this along side our early American history homeschool curriculum and my boys loved it! Great insight to how everyone, even children, were apart of the fight in the revolutionary war. Discussed how everyone can overcome their fear and how challenges shape us. Loved it!

One of the best historical fiction books for kids we’ve ever read. There is one scene where a soldier is killed right in front of the kids which was a little shocking but I felt my 11 year old was ok to read it - shows the true pain and hardship both sides endured during Revolutionary War.

I used this novel to teach a summer reading class for fourth and fifth grade students. Our theme was the American Revolution. Toliver's Secret is about a timid girl who is asked to help the Patriots by delivering a secret message, hidden in a loaf of bread, to a courier. As the simple plan becomes complicated, she learns to be more self-confident and to believe in herself. Even though the story is set in the past, young readers can relate to her emotions in a timeless manner. I would use this book again to enhance discussion about the American Revolution and to learn about the importance of overcoming fears that get in the way of accomplishments.

Our homeschooling family read this as a family read aloud as a part of our coverage of American history. The children (3, 7, and 12) and I all enjoyed the story very much and I felt that it gave them a unique insight into life during the American Revolution. The story was interesting all the way through and kept the children looking forward to the next chapter each day.

Set during the Revolutionary War, Ellen Toliver is the eleven year old granddaughter of a patriot who uses his haircutter's role to obtain information which he conveys to General Washington. Toliver's father was a patriot already killed in the war, so she and her mother return to live with her maternal grandparents in British-held New York. When the grandfather cannot carry out his planned information delivery, he turns to the reluctant Ellen whose hair he cuts and who is dressed as a boy in her patriot-brother's old clothes. Her task of delivering the message goes far from smoothly, and the story's adventure derives from Ellen's ways of addressing challenges from other youngsters, British soldiers, wary residents in occupied territories, unexpected arrival in unplanned locations, and her own fears and doubts. Ellen's adventures and problems keep the action going in ways that appeal to a young reader, as will Ellen herself as a character written well and with human strengths and weaknesses. That reader will also gain insight into the Revolutionary War and its times, and reap the benefit of accompanying Ellen as she faces her doubts and fears successfully and gains self-confidence. A good choice for that intermediate-grade reader, especially in his or her year of studying U.S. History (fifth grade here).

My kids and I loved this book! It is full of adventure and shows what life was like for people around New York City during the Revolutionary War.

I bought this for my son who is in 5th grade. It was a book suggestion by the homeschool curriculum we're using. He really enjoyed it. It was a fairly easy read for him but in good way.

I used this book with my fourth grade class while we were learning about the Revolutionary War. Most of my students enjoyed the book because we were rooting for Ellen to accomplish her mission. Also, we enjoyed watching Ellen grow from a shy and timid character into the heroine she becomes at the end of the story. My class thought this was a fantastic book and I'm happy that we were able to bring it to life in the classroom.