by Thomas B. Allen
Flap Copy description:
It's 1775 and General Washington is in serious trouble. He has a ragtag army, a few muskets and some cannons, and no money to fight the world's most powerful empire. His only hope of beating the British is to wage an invisible war - a war of spies and deception.
You are about to enter the shadowy world of double agents and covert operations, of codes and ciphers - a world so secret that even the spymaster himself doesn't know the identities of some of his agents. You'll meet members of the elusive Culper Ring, uncover a "mole" in the Sons of Liberty, and see how invisible ink and even a clothesline were used to send messages, as you follow the successes and failures of the Americans in their War of Independence.
My thoughts:
This historical book for young readers documents the true story of how our nation used espionage to help win our War of Independence. The author, Thomas B. Allen, has written an interesting and informative text based on his in depth research of historical documents. The section detailing Benedict Arnold is especially enlightening. The book includes a map, timeline, spy terms, and the Code that was actually used by General Washington. I would recommend George Washington, Spymaster to anyone who enjoys U.S. history - or has a desire to become a secret agent someday! Happy Independence Day!
