I liked this one more than the WWII book. I can see kids wanting to read this because it looks like something they'll be capable of reading (it's 'short' and 'small') I like the character in this one too.

I had trouble with the digital version of this, but I did see a physical copy at a conference and I was excited about it. I featured it on my Instagram page.

I didn't finish the book for 2 reasons. The first is a bummer - I read for the Maine Student Book Award. On here it says the book is to be published in 2017 and yet in the book itself and other sources it says 2016. Grrr. I would have read it earlier if that was the case. Also the format of the book looks to be better s a print version. I will read it at some point.

Few people realize the vital role former slave Mary Bowser played in the protection of the Union in the Civil War. Mary, encouraged by a Quaker friend, becomes a house servant (slave) in the home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and his family in Richmond. Mary's ability to remember almost everything she sees, combined with her intelligence , allows her to copy much of Davis' correspondence and allow the Union to always be one step ahead of the Confederates.

Captivating, interactive and engaging book that brings history to your fingertips!

Anyhow, Mary Bowser was a real person who lived in the South during the Civil War and she was a real life spy. This book tells a story about Mary, a slave working in the Confederate White House during the Civil War. As part of her duties, Mary sees coded documents on the president's desk. She can read (unusual for a slave) and has a photographic memory, and over time begins decoding the messages she sees and sending information back to the Union. I read this back in May and held the review until closer to the book release