Secrets on 26th Street

American Girl History Mysteries #5

by Elizabeth McDavid Jones

In New York City in 1914, eleven-year-old Susan encounters a mystery through an independent-minded female boarder and becomes involved in the growing suffrage movement.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Middle Grade, Childrens, Historical, New York, Fiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1999

About the author

Elizabeth McDavid Jones was born in 1958 in South Carolina. When she was a child, she moved in Raleigh, North Carolina. She graduated from East Carolina University and started a career in social work. When Jones earned a master's degree in literature in 1996, she changed her career to a university literature. During this period, she began writing children's books. She is a mother of four children.

She is the author of nine books and many magazine and serial stories for young people. Her books have sold over 750,000 copies. She is particularly known for her work writing with American Girl.

Reviews

[Bren fall in love with the sea. · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Suffragists. Every now and then, they would show up in the neighborhood with petitions for people to sign. Sometimes they would stand on soapboxes on the sidewalk and talk about things Susan Mostly didn't understand, like "enfranchisement of women." "
- Elizabeth McDavid Jones,
Secrets on 26th Street (American Girl History Mysteries)



What is gorgeously written, effervescent, delightful book about the woman suffrage movement.

Before I even get into my review – highly highly recommended.

So yes, this is about a family with the protagonist being a young girl name Susan. She’s about 11 years old. She may be young, but she’s inquisitive and sassy and strong. She’s a protagonist made for all of us to love.

Her family does not have a lot of money. So they taking a boarder and what a boarder she is too!

Bea Is her name and mystery is her game. She is a delightful, sparkling, whimsical, kind, oddly, mysterious woman, who Susan takes a fancy to.


This all plays out against the first remnants of suffrage come to Susan’s community. She sees them there, these women who don’t seem afraid of the ramifications of what they’re doing, and she’s intrigued by them.

Susan wants to go to college. But she doesn’t hold high hopes of being able to do so. Women have certain roles to play, certain expectations of them and certain social classes they belong to.

But what happens in this lovely coming of age tale when Susan decides to break stereotypes in several different ways?

I have to say this was such a lovely story. I was feeling nostalgic, which is why I deliberately went on the hunt for a book about suffrage. I didn’t want a short story, but I didn’t want a full length book either and this was perfect.

It’s about 130 pages may be 150 pages. So it’s a novella. The reason I was so hungry to read a story like this is because growing up one of my favorite books was and still is, a little known book about the same length, as this called “The girl with spunk.”

That book also is a coming of age story and tells of Josephine Dexter who is also fighting against stereotypes. This is a book that should have a lot more reviews on here than it does. If anyone who’s reading this review liked the book, trust me, you will want to read the girl with spunk. If any librarians are reading this, you will want to get the girl with spunk in your library. Some of these books from my childhood , they’re way too good to be forgotten.

But I read this book just a couple of days ago and to say I liked it is putting it mildly. I felt a little sad saying goodbye to Susan and her world but I often wonder in my mind how many Susan‘s there were at that time.

And it’s so relevant. It’s so relevant because it’s the year 2024 and I don’t like where women are in society.

I worry about the backlash to the me too movement , a movement I still very much believe in.

I worry about certain politicians and what rights they will try to take away from Women in the upcoming months and years. I worry about a lot.

I have never been a stereotype myself. People who know me would definitely describe me as eccentric. And more than a bit quirky. I didn’t always like those aspects of myself. But I have learned to grow into them and love them, particularly since I started writing myself.

I know we’re only in January 2025, but this is one of the best I’ve read so far. That’s what’s so important about Goodreads as it will lead you to little gems like this. And it will allow you to write reviews of gems like this. And this was a sparkling gemstone of a story that really brightened my day. Very much recommended.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

History Mysteries are a fantastic way to introduce children and pre-teens to historical topics. One of the reasons I am so fascinated with history is because of these books and the American Girl books in general. Each one provides a snapshot into a specific historical event or theme, and builds a fictional yet factual narrative around it.

Secrets on 26th Street takes place in New York City as Women's Suffrage was gaining momentum. Susan O'Neal is the oldest of her sisters and their caretaker. Their mother, Rose, is forced to work long shifts since their dad passed, and even then they still can't make rent. They take on a boarder, Bea, who is from England. Not only is her past a mystery, but she holds many secrets which end up impacting the O'Neal family. It is up to Susan to uncover Bea's past and the secrets she keeps.

This book is a quick read, albeit a compelling one. I really enjoyed the story, and how it represents the different facets of NYC history from Women's Suffrage to Tammany Hall. Secrets on 26th Street and other History Mysteries are not meant to be full-on novels, and anyone who expects that are dunderheads. I saw some reviews from people complaining that the chapters are short, and well yes they are. I don't know why you'd assume that a 139 page book will have long chapters.

It cannot be stressed enough, fictional yet factual. While Susan and her mother Rose never existed, Alice Paul was an advocate for Women's Suffrage. Her contribution to the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment is nothing short of miraculous. These short stories weave together real history into a digestible tale for young adults. And because they are based off true events, they can be easily researched to gain more knowledge on the topics presented!

I will admit that I am a HUGE American Girl fan and might be a bit biased. However, that doesn't mean what I have written about Secrets on 26th Street isn't true. If you have pre-teens, I highly recommend the History Mysteries. The more history you know the less it can repeat itself! Plus these books introduce a variety of topics instead of just the textbook crap that gets shoved into their head at public schools.

[Bridget Nygren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really interesting!

[Panda Incognito · Rating 2 out of 5]

The setting is interesting, and the book includes historically accurate information about the suffrage movement, but the mystery is extremely obvious from the very beginning, and most of the suspense just revolves around the main character dealing with the fallout of the adults in her life deceiving her. I don't like mysteries where kids put themselves in danger without ever talking with adults, but I really dislike mysteries where adults lie to children and create such uncertainty and fear that the kids have to take things into their own hands.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book it is a great mystery book and there are a lot more like them!

[Jacinta Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun reread of a childhood favorite.

[Beka · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mystery about lies, suffrage, and a missing mom.

[Madeline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is awesome. I coudn't put it down.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of the American Girl History Mystery series, although the book stands alone, Secrets on 26th Street is set in 1914 and focuses on a young girl, Susan, who recently lost her father and is dealing with how that loss has changed her family. When her mother invites a boarder into the house in order to afford their rent, Susan connects with the high-spirited, independent Bea. When Susan’s mother goes missing, however, and Susan notices that Bea is hiding information from Susan and her sisters, Susan realizes it’s up to her to find her mother and figure out what’s going on.

Anyone familiar with the women’s suffrage movement will figure out the so-called mystery early on, but I was charmed by this book. No, it’s not great literature, but the lessons weren’t preachy, the history was nicely interwoven with the story, and Susan was a likeable protagonist. Recommended.

[Bulk Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t normally enjoy this author’s writing style, but this one was actually well-written as well as engaging.

For most of the book there wasn’t much of a “mystery” so to speak, but I like that so much of the plot was centered around history. Basically the family’s new boarder has a secret identity, and in the end it’s revealed that she’s a suffragist who has come to organize the working class in revolt. It’s somewhat obvious, but this is a much more interesting motivation than “I’m poor” or “I want revenge.” Sometimes I think these books forget that they are called HISTORY mysteries - their purpose is not just to tell a good story, but to educate about some random aspect of history that we don’t see in the main AG line. This one does that pretty well. So hats off to that.

The whole “protagonist lives with her family in crowded apartment and has to take care of her sisters” reminded me of Kathleen: The Celtic Knot. They were also Irish, but it had next to no bearing on the plot and really could’ve been left out.

Idk if this book was just short because I read it on some PDF online, but I finished it in an afternoon.

[Lorna Doerr · Rating 3 out of 5]

I needed a book with a number in the title to complete a reading bingo card! Turns out, this was an interesting story about the women’s suffrage movement. I will recommend this to young readers who enjoy historical fiction.

[Brooklyn Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a books about a widowed mom and her three daughters who get a roommate and have several struggles as women in New York around 1914.
It's a historical fiction book.
I enjoyed it because it has a lot of thought into it and it has a lot of mysteries and hope.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this one was good. The mystery details were tricky to flush out and I didn't have it all until the reveal. I liked the complexity of the topic and this one seemed a bit more mature. But a great introduction to this movement in history for young girls. Well done, AG.

[Sarah]

I know I read this as a child but apparently back then I didn’t recognize the message. I just don’t like how this theme is portrayed. There’s a “tone”, I don’t know how else to put it, that I don’t like and I wouldn’t want my daughter to read it.

[Katherine Kapellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its a good book. It gives you a good insight on how hard it was for women to get the right to vote.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm struggling with the fact that they call their NYC apartment a flat and their mother "Mum".

[Deevena Jemima · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was really nice!!! I haven't read much about the suffrage movement. This gave a new perspective on how much women struggled to achieve voting rights.

[Stasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I missed reading this one when I was younger, because I didn't remember the story or characters at all. This installment definitely deals with more grown up issues.

[Grace Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun mystery and great read!

[Little Seal]

This was another good mystery, but probably because I am all for feminists trying to take down the man. Oh also, Susan's friend Russell is a total feminist and I love to see it.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The best we can do with pain is to make something good come out of it”

[Harlyn Rengel · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sad at the end🥺poor rose. I LOVE bea (even her lies!)

[Jessica Arend · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

[elli · Rating 5 out of 5]

i can't believe a random american girl book from my childhood holds up so well rereading it in adulthood. it's just a short little chapter book, so it kind of summarizes and tells when it should show, and the mystery isn't that mysterious when you're an adult reader.... but i think every little girl, or at least every american little girl, should read this. we should all be aware that our right to vote didn't come easy. people have fought with their lives to be heard.

we still have issues of voter suppression in the US, but we cannot talk about that unless we understand where we came from. i think exposing kids to that historical fight early is so incredibly important, and this book does it in a very digestible way.

[Sophie Spruce · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is probably one of the worst I’ve read in this series. It was so cool to read about the first-wave feminism movement, but the story seemed to drop a lot of interesting plot lines. For example, Susan pretends to be a boy because the shoe shining company won’t hire girls, but the owner never finds out she is a girl. For a book about women’s rights, it seemed interested only in a surface level view instead of expanding individual stories. I was far more interested in Susan being discovered and her standing up for herself but that plot line wasn’t focused on in favor of the vote protests. Mystery was pretty easy as well.

[James Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secrets of 26th Street

This story takes place in 1914 in New York City. Susan's mother has to take in a border to try and make enough money to pay the rent and the border is a woman named Bea. At first Susan takes a very strong liking to the woman, even when she finds out that Bea has some kind of secret.

But as events unfold, Susan finds out that Bea has been less than truthful with her, and eventually even her own mother lies to her and then suddenly disappears.

Susan needs to find out what the truth is about Bea, and also find out what has happened to her mother.

It's a truth that is wrapped up in the politics of the women's suffrage movement and the politics of New York City's Tammany Hall.

There's a historical section which explains what women's suffrage was. For those who don't know, women were not allowed to vote in the United States from its founding in 1776 all the way up until 1920. Women were basically considered not really mentally capable of voting since they were sort of hysterical in nature.

It was a long struggle for the women who wanted the right to vote, and sometimes it was violent, including when some of the women would be put into prisons and mistreated simply because they dared to think that they were the equal of men as far as rights go. It's a story that all girls should become familiar with.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is from the American Girls History Mysteries series, which features various girls in different periods of history. They are easy reads. I was pleasantly surprised by this story and wish I could give it a 3.5. It definitely kept my interest. Also, in the back, after the fictional story ends, there is information about the real history of this subject, with real photos. I will not say what the subject is since that would be a spoiler.

New York City 1914: Susan O'Neil lives with her 2 younger sisters and widowed mother who is struggling to make ends meet and not be evicted from their cramped little apartment. When Bea, an Englishwoman obviously used to a better life, arrives as a boarder, Susan immediately likes her but she fears that Bea is keeping secrets. Then Susan's mother disappears. Susan logically works out what has happened to her and in order to rescue her, she must discover Bea's secret.

[Eabreese · Rating 1 out of 5]

Secrets On 26th Street was a really boring book. To begin with,the book was extremely short. The chapters were only 7-4 pages long! One way the book was boring is the fact that it's very predictable. After only a few chapers,you can easily see what the outcome of the book will be. Lastly,I found the book to be boring because of the lack of illustrations. While it is true there are some pictures,they were not at all inspiring.
The book was not completely bad, howver, because I found the setting interesting. The book takes place in the year 1914 in Chelsea, NY, during the women's rights movement. Some of the action includes exciting things such as disguises and spying.
All in all,I found the book to be unenjoyable. Despite my dissapointment however,I am eager to give the other American Girl History Mysteries a try.


-Shea Breese!
-Grade 5

[Katt Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the setting and the historical aspect of this book, but was plagued by one question throughout - whatever happened to the paper she was supposed to be writing on Middlemarch? And what child THAT age reads Middlemarch anyway? Seriously? This was a book for 11 year olds at the turn of the century? Oh, but we've fallen...

The adventure was good. Not all of the plot held together way I would have wished, but I still liked reading the story. And I really did like Susan.

Sometimes it's hard to believe there was ever a time when women did not have the vote. My but we've come a long way...!

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s interesting to have a story about women’s suffrage that focuses more on state-by-state ratification than the federal amendment, but the Looking Back section could have done a better job explaining Alice Paul's role in the movement. The mystery aspect felt obvious.