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!
This book is about a kid toliver who's dad got killed by the brittish and toliver had to go on a ship with the british he was not thrilled about it. It talks about a snuff box and it tells you when he gives it back to him there is a locket necklaces.It was a great book but i wish it talked about the snuff box a little bit more. Other than that i would totally recomand this book. This book has alot of supence. There's this girl named Ellen Toliver, and she is 11 years old. her grandfather is a spy. and right before he has to go on a mission he gets hurt so he has to send Ellen. Can she finish the mission. You will have to readthe book to find out.
Do You like book Toliver's Secret (1993)?
its cool
—Yaselie
This is a wonderful book set during the Revolutionary War about a girl whose courage (or severe lack thereof) is put to the test when she must carry out her Grandfather's mission of delivering a secret message to George Washington. The author does a great job of drawing the reader in, fleshing out her characters well and weaving historical tidbits that add greatly to the atmosphere. We like the full-page black & white watercolor illustrations and have been really enjoying this story. I think this story shows very well that even when we're fearful, we can still do amazing, courageous things.
—Sarah
Paul-man and I sent this book to Rae for her birthday. It was recommended by another library school student, and I got it from the library so I could read it, too. It was a charming story about being brave even when you think you don't have it in you to be brave. Plus, it gives a palpable sense of what it may have been like to have been a child in an occupied city.One of my favorite scenes took place between Ellen Tolliver and Mr. Higgins, a kindly British soldier who befriended her while crossing the Hudson. They meet up on the other side after Tolliver has learned that there are no stagecoaches and she'll have to walk."Ellen was running to keep up with him. 'But I'm afraid of going by myself.''Being afraid is nothing to hold you back,' said Higgins. 'Just square your shoulders and start. Things aren't so bad after you start.'" (p. 105)
—Caralyn
