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Secret Missions: Four True Life Stories
Portrays the lives of four courageous individuals--Revolutionary War spy Lydia Darragh, underground railroad activists Alexander M. Ross and William Still, and Dutch Resistance movement nurse Leesha Bos.
- GenresBiographyNonfiction
116 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1988
17 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Levine
87 books51 followersEllen Levine's books have won many awards and honors, including the Jane Addams Peace Award. Although she enjoys writing both fiction and nonfiction, most of Ellen's books for young readers have been nonfiction. "Writing nonfiction lets me in behind the scenes of the story. I enjoy learning new things and meeting new people, even if they lived 200 years ago."
Ellen Levine was born in New York City. She received her B.A. degree in Politics from Brandeis University, graduating Magna cum laude. She has a Master's degree in political science from the University of Chicago and a Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law. She has worked in film and television, taught adults and immigrant teenagers in special education and ESL programs, and served a law clerkship with Chief Judge Joseph Lord, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania. A former staff attorney with a public interest law group, Levine now devotes her time to writing, lecturing, and teaching. She is on the faculty of Vermont College's MFA program in writing for Children and Young Adults.
Ellen Levine divides her time between New York City and Salem, New York.
Ellen Levine was born in New York City. She received her B.A. degree in Politics from Brandeis University, graduating Magna cum laude. She has a Master's degree in political science from the University of Chicago and a Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law. She has worked in film and television, taught adults and immigrant teenagers in special education and ESL programs, and served a law clerkship with Chief Judge Joseph Lord, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania. A former staff attorney with a public interest law group, Levine now devotes her time to writing, lecturing, and teaching. She is on the faculty of Vermont College's MFA program in writing for Children and Young Adults.
Ellen Levine divides her time between New York City and Salem, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 20, 2013
4 Stars
Heroes are often the most ordinary of people, as history will show us. The four stories found in this book are true, and involve people who could not take the easy route when times were hard. Lydia Darragh was a Quaker housewife during America’s Revolutionary War. The British demanded to use her home to hold meetings, and, in return, she spied on them. Alexander M. Ross lived in Canada when he heard the shocking tales of slavery in America. He moved to America and became a part of the Underground Railroad. William Still was also involved in the Underground Railroad; he was the son of slaves, and knew how families were torn apart in slavery, so he kept track of those he helped in logbooks. Leesha Bos was a Jew in Nazi-occupied Holland. She could have stayed hidden and safe, but instead she joined the Dutch Resistance, and helped others to hide. They were ordinary people, who were willing to risk everything to do what was right.
This book was written for younger readers, but I enjoyed it all the same. It didn’t feel dumbed down, and each small part of history didn’t feel like fact after fact, but instead it was brought to life. I feel as if I know all four of these people a little better than I did before, and I want to go learn more about them.
There were a few times I wondered how much the author was placing into the story, when it came to mentioning what a character was thinking, but it was a small distraction, and after the first time of noticing it, it didn’t pull me out of the story.
Overall, this was a quick, enjoyable read, leaving me with a feeling of being better connected to the past.
Heroes are often the most ordinary of people, as history will show us. The four stories found in this book are true, and involve people who could not take the easy route when times were hard. Lydia Darragh was a Quaker housewife during America’s Revolutionary War. The British demanded to use her home to hold meetings, and, in return, she spied on them. Alexander M. Ross lived in Canada when he heard the shocking tales of slavery in America. He moved to America and became a part of the Underground Railroad. William Still was also involved in the Underground Railroad; he was the son of slaves, and knew how families were torn apart in slavery, so he kept track of those he helped in logbooks. Leesha Bos was a Jew in Nazi-occupied Holland. She could have stayed hidden and safe, but instead she joined the Dutch Resistance, and helped others to hide. They were ordinary people, who were willing to risk everything to do what was right.
This book was written for younger readers, but I enjoyed it all the same. It didn’t feel dumbed down, and each small part of history didn’t feel like fact after fact, but instead it was brought to life. I feel as if I know all four of these people a little better than I did before, and I want to go learn more about them.
There were a few times I wondered how much the author was placing into the story, when it came to mentioning what a character was thinking, but it was a small distraction, and after the first time of noticing it, it didn’t pull me out of the story.
Overall, this was a quick, enjoyable read, leaving me with a feeling of being better connected to the past.
May 10, 2011
Amazing! I couldn't put it down!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews