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Toliver's Secret
When her grandfather is injured, 10-year-old Ellen Toliver replaces him on a top-secret patriotic mission. Disguised as a boy, she manages to smuggle a message to General George Washington.
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
139 people are currently reading
1526 people want to read
About the author
Esther Wood Brady
5 books10 followersEsther Mariette Wood Brady (born 1906) was a children's book author who wrote historical fiction novels for younger readers.
She was born in Akron, New York to Lawrence A. Wood and Ida Eby Wood. Her father was a pastor, and her family lived in Newstead, New York during her young life. By 1920 the family had relocated to Marion, Ohio. On July 29, 1933 she married George Wolfe Brady, an engineer from Anderson, Indiana. At the time of their marriage Esther was living in Marion with her family and working as a secretary. By 1940, Esther, George, and their daughter Caroline had moved to Montclair, New Jersey, where they would continue to reside for several years. For a time Esther worked in public schools tutoring children with reading difficulties. She was also the author of several children's books, including "Toliver's Secret" and "The Toad on Capitol Hill."
She was born in Akron, New York to Lawrence A. Wood and Ida Eby Wood. Her father was a pastor, and her family lived in Newstead, New York during her young life. By 1920 the family had relocated to Marion, Ohio. On July 29, 1933 she married George Wolfe Brady, an engineer from Anderson, Indiana. At the time of their marriage Esther was living in Marion with her family and working as a secretary. By 1940, Esther, George, and their daughter Caroline had moved to Montclair, New Jersey, where they would continue to reside for several years. For a time Esther worked in public schools tutoring children with reading difficulties. She was also the author of several children's books, including "Toliver's Secret" and "The Toad on Capitol Hill."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews
March 20, 2020
Read about Ellen, a fictitious character who has to sneak a hidden message to George Washington. A great family read-aloud that my mom read to us!
Age: 8 - 12
Reading Level: 3rd - 6th grades
Cleanliness:
Children's Bad Words
Mild Obscenities & Substitutions - 1 Incident: drat
Name Calling - 3 Incidents: idiot, idiots, Lobsterbacks (a derogatory term for British soldiers during the Revolution)
Romance Related - 1 Incident: Mentions flirting: "She ran up to two redcoats who stood on the steps of a bakeshop, eating hot little pies while they flirted with a group of kitchen maids."
Conversation Topics - 3 Incidents: A reference to officers in the millitary "(a)lways sniffing snuff up their proud noses..." Taverns are mentioned and a scene in a tavern includes old ale, pipes, wine bottles and tobacco. A child attends a hanging and gets whipped for watching - nothing is described.
Parent Takeaway
A girl who is often scared easily learns to trust her grandfather and be courageous while delivering a secret message.
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So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! You’ll see my updates as I’m reading and know which books I’m liking and what I’m not finishing and why. You’ll also be able to utilize my library for looking up titles to see whether the book you’re thinking about reading next has any objectionable content or not. From swear words, to romance, to bad attitudes (in children’s books), I cover it all!
Age: 8 - 12
Reading Level: 3rd - 6th grades
Cleanliness:
Children's Bad Words
Mild Obscenities & Substitutions - 1 Incident: drat
Name Calling - 3 Incidents: idiot, idiots, Lobsterbacks (a derogatory term for British soldiers during the Revolution)
Romance Related - 1 Incident: Mentions flirting: "She ran up to two redcoats who stood on the steps of a bakeshop, eating hot little pies while they flirted with a group of kitchen maids."
Conversation Topics - 3 Incidents: A reference to officers in the millitary "(a)lways sniffing snuff up their proud noses..." Taverns are mentioned and a scene in a tavern includes old ale, pipes, wine bottles and tobacco. A child attends a hanging and gets whipped for watching - nothing is described.
Parent Takeaway
A girl who is often scared easily learns to trust her grandfather and be courageous while delivering a secret message.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! You’ll see my updates as I’m reading and know which books I’m liking and what I’m not finishing and why. You’ll also be able to utilize my library for looking up titles to see whether the book you’re thinking about reading next has any objectionable content or not. From swear words, to romance, to bad attitudes (in children’s books), I cover it all!
February 24, 2017
I really enjoyed this book when I was younger! Definitely a great read for children 8-14.
March 30, 2012
I read this book aloud to my children. It is an historical fiction adventure set in New York in the 1700s.
Ten year-old Ellen Toliver is a meek and mild girl, who is often bullied by another girl named Dicey. Grandfather encourages Ellen to stand up for herself and talk back to Dicey, but Mother is against the advice reminding Ellen that her late father would not approve because he wanted his daughter to be ladylike. Grandfather huffs that Ellen can still have pretty manners while being bold when she needs to be!
Ellen's grandfather hides a silver snuffbox containing a secret message about the British inside a loaf of bread. It should be a simple task for him to deliver the bread to a friend in Elizabeth-town, who will ensure the message gets to General Washington. However, when Grandfather falls and sprains his ankle, he needs to find someone else he can trust to deliver this important message. He turns to his granddaughter, Ellen, and asks whether she would disguise herself as a boy to carry out this errand. But he warns her that it will be dangerous, because spies are often hanged! Not that they would do that to a child, but they would go after the person who sent her on the mission...her Grandfather.
Ellen sees this as her chance to stand up and be bold and to make her grandfather proud of her! She agrees to the assignment, which is very simple: Just walk down to the docks and get on a farmer’s or oysterman’s boat to Elizabeth-town, find the Jolly Fox Tavern, and hand the bread over to Mr. Shannon who runs the tavern. Mr. Shannon will welcome Ellen and take care of her for the night and ensure that she gets back to the dock to catch a boat first thing in the morning. Of course, things do not go as planned! Some boys steal the loaf of bread, and Ellen must chase them down to retrieve it, which causes her to miss the farmer’s boat to Elizabeth-town. Instead, she must ride with the Redcoats and carry the bread right under their noses! What Ellen does not realize is that the boat is going to Perth Amboy instead of Elizabeth-town, taking her about ten miles too far! Her journey to Elizabeth-town is fraught with adventure and mishaps.
We really enjoyed this book! We thought it was a great adventure, and it is nice to see a heroine who is not afraid to take some risks.
MY RATING: 4 stars!! It was really good!
Ten year-old Ellen Toliver is a meek and mild girl, who is often bullied by another girl named Dicey. Grandfather encourages Ellen to stand up for herself and talk back to Dicey, but Mother is against the advice reminding Ellen that her late father would not approve because he wanted his daughter to be ladylike. Grandfather huffs that Ellen can still have pretty manners while being bold when she needs to be!
Ellen's grandfather hides a silver snuffbox containing a secret message about the British inside a loaf of bread. It should be a simple task for him to deliver the bread to a friend in Elizabeth-town, who will ensure the message gets to General Washington. However, when Grandfather falls and sprains his ankle, he needs to find someone else he can trust to deliver this important message. He turns to his granddaughter, Ellen, and asks whether she would disguise herself as a boy to carry out this errand. But he warns her that it will be dangerous, because spies are often hanged! Not that they would do that to a child, but they would go after the person who sent her on the mission...her Grandfather.
Ellen sees this as her chance to stand up and be bold and to make her grandfather proud of her! She agrees to the assignment, which is very simple: Just walk down to the docks and get on a farmer’s or oysterman’s boat to Elizabeth-town, find the Jolly Fox Tavern, and hand the bread over to Mr. Shannon who runs the tavern. Mr. Shannon will welcome Ellen and take care of her for the night and ensure that she gets back to the dock to catch a boat first thing in the morning. Of course, things do not go as planned! Some boys steal the loaf of bread, and Ellen must chase them down to retrieve it, which causes her to miss the farmer’s boat to Elizabeth-town. Instead, she must ride with the Redcoats and carry the bread right under their noses! What Ellen does not realize is that the boat is going to Perth Amboy instead of Elizabeth-town, taking her about ten miles too far! Her journey to Elizabeth-town is fraught with adventure and mishaps.
We really enjoyed this book! We thought it was a great adventure, and it is nice to see a heroine who is not afraid to take some risks.
MY RATING: 4 stars!! It was really good!
February 2, 2017
I read this aloud with my children (ages 9, 7 & 5) and we all greatly enjoyed this courageous historical fiction tale of a young girl carrying a secret message through enemy lines during the Revolutionary War and all the crazy circumstances she faced. A great read if you are studying this time period in American history. The kids were begging for more with each reading.
November 13, 2023
My daughters (10 and 8 years old) rate this one 5 stars!!
February 17, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. She had a lot of courage. I really recommend this book.
I really loved it. 🥰
I really loved it. 🥰
January 15, 2022
This was a great little story! Ellen's transformation from timidity to bravery was very well done and natural as she gradually gained the courage for harder and harder tasks that she would have justifiably shrunk from at the beginning. And I loved the way she resumed her former role at the end, just with added confidence that didn't take away from her femininity at all. The other characters were interesting and not caricatures, and there was some good history thrown in without being too much for a kids' book. Definitely an enjoyable read!
4.5 stars
Content--a young girl dresses as a boy for a courier mission and is afraid when a woman begins to undress her; mentions of war, battles, and deaths (not descriptive); mentions of children bullying, stealing, etc. (not condoned)
4.5 stars
Content--a young girl dresses as a boy for a courier mission and is afraid when a woman begins to undress her; mentions of war, battles, and deaths (not descriptive); mentions of children bullying, stealing, etc. (not condoned)
November 17, 2021
I loved this book. It met me where I was (comprehension-wise) when I first read it and was a great adventure. As you read about Ellen doing a big, scary thing (small bit by small bit) and then her new-found courage and confidence afterwards, it's a mild form of literary therapy. And yet it isn't preachy or overtly moralistic, but it's a great story for kids.
February 16, 2008
This is the first book I checked out when I got my first library card . . . at 12. I was a late bloomer of a reader, I confess. I credit this book, along with Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree, with changing my life forever. I became a reader because of them.
February 17, 2020
Exciting story perfect for ages 8-12!
October 23, 2019
I read this to my children as it is a recommended read-a-loud for the curriculum we use.
Ellen Toliver is a 10 year old girl, living during the Revolutionary War. She lives with her grandfather, mother and several red coats in her grandfather's home. Her grandfather is a barber in New York City. Ellen's father passed away and her brother is off to war so she and her mother moved in with grandfather.
Ellen is a shy and soft spoken child. She doesn't like filling the water pail in the morning because she doesn't like Dicey the neighborhood bully. Ellen is afraid of her.
When her grandfather hurts his ankle and cannot walk, he sends Ellen in his place. Ellen is instructed to get on the ferry that is going to New Jersey. In Elizabethtown, there is a Mr. Shannon whom she is to meet. Mr. Shannon will take her bread, that has a secret message baked inside it, and see Ellen home. But things don't go quite as planned.
The reader follows Ellen's journey that takes place in one day. The story is only 166 pages long but it has a lot of good talking points in it. I liked how Ellen discovered that red coats are people too. They have lives and family and don't want to fight in the war either.
I also like how Ellen is 10 years old. By her age, she is more relatable for the children who are most likely to read this book.
The story describes how New York and war times would have looked back then. This is helpful for me to refer back to the story as we study the Revolutionary War.
I would recommend this story to all children. My children seemed to really like it and I was asked to re-read it to them.
Ellen Toliver is a 10 year old girl, living during the Revolutionary War. She lives with her grandfather, mother and several red coats in her grandfather's home. Her grandfather is a barber in New York City. Ellen's father passed away and her brother is off to war so she and her mother moved in with grandfather.
Ellen is a shy and soft spoken child. She doesn't like filling the water pail in the morning because she doesn't like Dicey the neighborhood bully. Ellen is afraid of her.
When her grandfather hurts his ankle and cannot walk, he sends Ellen in his place. Ellen is instructed to get on the ferry that is going to New Jersey. In Elizabethtown, there is a Mr. Shannon whom she is to meet. Mr. Shannon will take her bread, that has a secret message baked inside it, and see Ellen home. But things don't go quite as planned.
The reader follows Ellen's journey that takes place in one day. The story is only 166 pages long but it has a lot of good talking points in it. I liked how Ellen discovered that red coats are people too. They have lives and family and don't want to fight in the war either.
I also like how Ellen is 10 years old. By her age, she is more relatable for the children who are most likely to read this book.
The story describes how New York and war times would have looked back then. This is helpful for me to refer back to the story as we study the Revolutionary War.
I would recommend this story to all children. My children seemed to really like it and I was asked to re-read it to them.
April 2, 2025
Homeschool read aloud. My 3rd and 4th grader were the perfect age for this one (my daughter loved that she was the same age as the heroine), and even my Kindergartener drifted in and was able to follow along. More elementary grade level historical fiction than something like Johnny Tremain, but my kids felt very wrapped up in the peril of the story, and Ellen’s choices and concerns felt more real and relatable to them - they often talked out what they might have done in her situation or wondered if they could have been that brave. Solid 2nd-5th grade level American Revolution read aloud or reader, with a happy ending (in case you’ve been reading a few with a lot of hard losses and need to give your young audience a little break 😅). 👍
June 17, 2017
What a great read out loud! I read this to my kids - ten and six - and they really enjoyed it. Set during the American Revolutionary War, the main character has to face her fears and learn courage and bravery. It's a gentle introduction to the tensions of war and the world back then. It's also a fun and exciting read, with short chapters.
February 23, 2021
My third-grader and I both enjoyed this Revolutionary-War-era adventure story about a young girl who dresses up like a boy and takes a secret message to a courier when her grandfather hurts his leg. Even though many things go wrong for Ellen on her mission, she shows resourcefulness and perseverance. The story moves along at a good pace without overdoing the level of peril, and ties in well to a study of the times and places of the Revolution.
February 7, 2025
A fun, mysterious story read aloud with my 3rd grade homeschoolers. This one held our attention very well. Some good, cultural history lessons from the revolution, as well as on courage, steadfastness, and reliance.
March 1, 2021
This was very easy for my young kids to follow along and they didn’t want me to stop reading!
February 3, 2024
A timid young girl learns how brave she can be when her grandfather and new country need her.
February 15, 2024
This was a great historical fiction book! It had many lessons of bravery and courage. A fun read for us as we study American history.
February 16, 2024
We read this as a read aloud going along with our history curriculum! We loved this story of bravery, love, adventure, and more.
March 14, 2024
I read this to my children and while they liked it, it wasn't classified as a keeper. The story is a bit redundant with Toliver's many delays on her mission. The overall message of the book is courage even when your scared, making it relevant for children.
May 23, 2024
Read this to the kids which was so so fun!
November 6, 2023
Super fun read aloud for the revolutionary war era! 8yo loved it. I figured it’d end happily but was antsy to keep reading anyway 😁
October 25, 2025
Read aloud with kids.
They struggled to get into it for the first few chapters but then were captivated.
They struggled to get into it for the first few chapters but then were captivated.
November 11, 2020
Ellen Toliver grows on you.
March 12, 2021
This is a really cute story for kids learning about the American Revolution. I read it aloud to my kids ages 6-10 and they all loved it.
March 26, 2021
Good story!
February 24, 2021
The Revolutionary War was a hard time... gun fire outside your window, redcoats living in your home, food shortages. If you want to learn more about the Revolutionary War want the book be historical fiction, "Toliver's Secret" is the book for you.
"Toliver's Secret" takes place in the time of the Revolutionary War. It talks about how there where redcoats living in their home, and her grandfather is a spy but he get's hurt. "So who is going to deliver the message now?" Read to find out.
The main character Ellen in the book "Toliver's Secret," is a brave 10 year old girl, but when the book first starts she is scared. However, toward the middle and the rest of her story, she was brave. What do you think brought out that bravery? Read the book to find out.
I thought this book was the best because of its theme of bravery. For example, Ellen's grandfather tells her: "We get over fear," said grandfather, "by doing things we think we cannot do. These are trying times Ellen. Many people are doing things they thought they could never do." I also recommend this book because I love how the author puts in several challenges for Ellen to show how her character grows overtime. Otherwise, how would she get her bravery? Not by just doing her normal stuff everyday? NO! By facing her fears! I rate this book 5 stars. It really is a great way to learn about the Revolutionary War through, through the eyes of a brave, ten-year-old girl.
"Toliver's Secret" takes place in the time of the Revolutionary War. It talks about how there where redcoats living in their home, and her grandfather is a spy but he get's hurt. "So who is going to deliver the message now?" Read to find out.
The main character Ellen in the book "Toliver's Secret," is a brave 10 year old girl, but when the book first starts she is scared. However, toward the middle and the rest of her story, she was brave. What do you think brought out that bravery? Read the book to find out.
I thought this book was the best because of its theme of bravery. For example, Ellen's grandfather tells her: "We get over fear," said grandfather, "by doing things we think we cannot do. These are trying times Ellen. Many people are doing things they thought they could never do." I also recommend this book because I love how the author puts in several challenges for Ellen to show how her character grows overtime. Otherwise, how would she get her bravery? Not by just doing her normal stuff everyday? NO! By facing her fears! I rate this book 5 stars. It really is a great way to learn about the Revolutionary War through, through the eyes of a brave, ten-year-old girl.
February 12, 2019
Toliver's Secret by Esther Wood Brady is a sweet, engaging, and lovely story, and it's a great example of quality historical fiction for children. It's a perfect introduction to the Revolutionary War for young readers, and it clearly and accessibly portrays the events of the start of Washington's New York and New Jersey campaign in 1776.
When 10-year-old Ellen Toliver's grandfather is injured, she's saddled with the daunting task of carrying a secret message for the Patriots. Disguised as a boy, she embarks on an exciting journey fraught with unexpected trouble and danger. Through it all, she rises to each impossible challenge, uses her wits and will to find a way through, and learns life-changing lessons about herself along the way. Set in New York City and New Jersey in December of 1776, this sweet story imagines one fictional girl's part in supplying intelligence to General Washington leading up to his successful and vital strike across the Delaware.
I really enjoyed this book, and I was so impressed by its quality - something I was not fully expecting when reading a book that I read only once before, a few years ago - even if I liked it very much. I'm so glad I recently reread it, especially since I remembered almost nothing about the story. I dearly love good Revolutionary War historical fiction books, and I'm glad I've encountered this one. It's a wonderful book.
Toliver's Secret has a likeable, brave, and cheerful heroine; a vivid and engaging writing style; a skillful, exciting plot; well-developed, lifelike, and compelling characters; sweet family and friend relationships; entertaining and fascinating adventures; and wholesome, heartwarming themes and messages. The plot was quick-paced and exciting, and I loved the author's addition of so many obstacles and so much conflict. I loved Ellen, the protagonist, in particular, and I was so impressed by her powerful character arc, as she learned lessons and grew in many ways. The themes and messages were wonderful, though they were a bit too obvious at times. Ellen learns valuable lessons about the meaning of true courage, the duty of doing hard things even when they feel impossible, the importance of standing up for oneself and speaking out when necessary, and her own ability to excel and overcome insurmountable difficulty.
I enjoyed the delightful interior illustrations by Richard Cuffari, as a sweet bonus to a lovely book.
I recommend this book heartily to all readers of children's historical fiction, young and old alike. Elementary and middle school-aged readers are sure to enjoy it, and it would make a great read-aloud and teaching tool. I'll definitely be reading it again someday, and sharing it with children I know. I'm rating it a solid 4 stars, and it's a wonderful book, even if it's not one of my top favorites.
When 10-year-old Ellen Toliver's grandfather is injured, she's saddled with the daunting task of carrying a secret message for the Patriots. Disguised as a boy, she embarks on an exciting journey fraught with unexpected trouble and danger. Through it all, she rises to each impossible challenge, uses her wits and will to find a way through, and learns life-changing lessons about herself along the way. Set in New York City and New Jersey in December of 1776, this sweet story imagines one fictional girl's part in supplying intelligence to General Washington leading up to his successful and vital strike across the Delaware.
I really enjoyed this book, and I was so impressed by its quality - something I was not fully expecting when reading a book that I read only once before, a few years ago - even if I liked it very much. I'm so glad I recently reread it, especially since I remembered almost nothing about the story. I dearly love good Revolutionary War historical fiction books, and I'm glad I've encountered this one. It's a wonderful book.
Toliver's Secret has a likeable, brave, and cheerful heroine; a vivid and engaging writing style; a skillful, exciting plot; well-developed, lifelike, and compelling characters; sweet family and friend relationships; entertaining and fascinating adventures; and wholesome, heartwarming themes and messages. The plot was quick-paced and exciting, and I loved the author's addition of so many obstacles and so much conflict. I loved Ellen, the protagonist, in particular, and I was so impressed by her powerful character arc, as she learned lessons and grew in many ways. The themes and messages were wonderful, though they were a bit too obvious at times. Ellen learns valuable lessons about the meaning of true courage, the duty of doing hard things even when they feel impossible, the importance of standing up for oneself and speaking out when necessary, and her own ability to excel and overcome insurmountable difficulty.
I enjoyed the delightful interior illustrations by Richard Cuffari, as a sweet bonus to a lovely book.
I recommend this book heartily to all readers of children's historical fiction, young and old alike. Elementary and middle school-aged readers are sure to enjoy it, and it would make a great read-aloud and teaching tool. I'll definitely be reading it again someday, and sharing it with children I know. I'm rating it a solid 4 stars, and it's a wonderful book, even if it's not one of my top favorites.
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November 6, 2020Fun story about this book: When I was a kid my parents made us make library lists using a couple of books that recommended good books for children such as Honey For a Child's Heart. I saw Toliver's Secret on that list and I always wanted to read it. Unfortunately for me, our library did not own a copy of that book. I faithfully checked back every year or so but our library never purchased a copy.
Fast forward 20+ years later and my 3rd grader is learning American history and I saw this book on a list of suggested historical fiction. I instantly knew I had to find a copy of it. Wonder of wonders, our library finally had a copy. After waiting on hold for it for many months, we finally secured a copy and have spent the past few nights reading it together.
Review of the actual book: It is a fun historical read for 2-5th graders. I have a hard time seeing it hold the interest of a child much older than 10 though.
Fast forward 20+ years later and my 3rd grader is learning American history and I saw this book on a list of suggested historical fiction. I instantly knew I had to find a copy of it. Wonder of wonders, our library finally had a copy. After waiting on hold for it for many months, we finally secured a copy and have spent the past few nights reading it together.
Review of the actual book: It is a fun historical read for 2-5th graders. I have a hard time seeing it hold the interest of a child much older than 10 though.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews