Mary Bowser and the Civil War Spy Ring

Launching the Spy on History series, this pseudonymously written interactive story is built around Mary Bowser, an African-American woman who served as a spy during the Civil War, under the guise of working as a maid for Jefferson Davis. Alberti dramatizes Bowser’s efforts to obtain information by eavesdropping and memorizing information on crucial documents. Readers can use “spycraft tools,” such as a cipher wheel, to crack a code and solve the story’s mystery. Fictionalized diary passages, engrossing illustrations from Cliff (the Delilah Dirk series), and typography manipulated to dramatic effect help create a gripping story that offers a window into a pivotal time in U.S. history and puts a face to a little-known figure. Ages 10–14.[em] Illustrator’s agent: Bernadette Baker-Baughman, Victoria Sanders & Associates. (Jan.) [/em]