Customer Reviews

Dear Ellen Bee: A Civil War Scrapbook of Two Union Spies

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Told through fictional letters and diary entries, this book is based on the true story of two women living in Richmond, Virginia during the Civil War, who worked together to spy for the Union. Many readers will have heard of Elizabeth Van Lew, an abolitionist who is well known to have pretended to be "crazy" so she would not be suspected of being a spy. But few will have heard of Mary Elizabeth Bowser, the daughter of two former slaves that Van Lew set free. Liza, as she is called in this story, is sent North by "Miss Bet," as she calls Miss Van Lew, to get an education. She returns to Richmond at age fifteen with her new husband. When her husband heads north to join the black Union regiments, Liza agrees to pose as a slave in the home of Jefferson Davis so she can listen and learn, and maybe help the Union cause. Although both are in danger because of their actions, they continue with their work because of their fierce loyalty to their country. The diary format will appeal to readers of the "Dear America" series, and the story will appeal to many fans of historical fiction, particuarly girls ages eleven and up, who will enjoy reading about the strong female characters.

Liza, a freed slave, hates having her life all planned out for her. She thanks Miss Bet for freeing her but she doesn't want Miss Bet to plan her life for her. After returning from school in Phildelphia and after getting married to a free black call Wilson she finally gets to live her own life. So when Miss Bet comes up to her to plee for her help in the fight against the Rebels in Richmond she is hesitant. Working at the rebel's president's house is going to be one hard thing for Liza to do. However her decision is finally made up when she sees how the Rebels treat her husband Wilson. When he finally escapes to the North and joins the Union army Liza begins her spying in the President's Residence. Through secret codes and letters she and Miss Bet use the code name Ellen Bee to communicate.

Written in diary from with drawing and scrapes from hear and there this book was really a very good book that gave great insight into the minds of two Union spies. I recommend anyone who likes this book to read the Dear America Series which is also historical novels written in diary form about different girl's lives in different parts of history.

Hi I am a 5th grade student. I am going to tell you about the book that I read called Dear Ellen Bee. I liked the book because it is about a little girl named Liza and a teacher named Miss Bet. In the book it talks about two union spies. If you read this book you wuold think it is worth 5 stars. Well I think it is worth 5 stars. I think you would like to read this book. Me and my group made a poster and gave it 5 stars. It was realy FUN to read this book!!!

Hi I am in the fifth grade and I read Dear Ellen Bee. It is a civil war scrapbook and there is a girl named Liza. She is black and her teacher is white her name is Miss Bet. Their two Union spies and they are the main characters in this story. Miss Bet wants Liza to be a teacher, but Liza wants to be an artist, Liza goes to college for a teacher. Well that's all I can tell you or it will spoil the book for you. I hope you read it.HAVE FUN!!!

While this is a good book, it is not appropriate for all readers. My 9 year old 4th grader was assigned this book at school.

The book refers to rape and one character is a prostitute whose clients "sneak out the back" in the morning. It also has graphic descriptions of hangings, amputations, and horrendous Civil War war injuries (men missing body parts and their faces). There is a description of a slave auction where a woman is sold as a "breeder."

While all this is accurate and appropriate for a book on war, it was not appropriate for my child. She is sensitive about all things medical (blood, amputations, etc) and will absolutely have nightmares about this book's descriptions.

Also, I want to give my daughter accurate information about life - I just didn't plant to discuss rape and prostitution with her at age 9 (we don't watch the news or let her read the newspaper/internet as it is full of horrors a young child simply doesn't need to know). I could have lied to her, but she may well have discovered the truth (or worse, a different "lie") from another student in her class. Now here are more concepts for her to have nightmares about.

Have I discussed this with her teacher - absolutely. Will I pre-read all her assigned reading from now on - absolutely. And, once I realized how wrong this book was for my daughter, I read the rest of the book to her, editing parts that were inappropriate for her at this age.

While I have learned my lesson, I would like to prevent other parents from believing that -- just because it received many stars in the ratings and raters said the book is excellent -- it is appropriate reading material for their child. It may not be - depending on your child's age, knowledge of rape, prostitution and war, and their tolerance for graphic descriptions of death. You may want to skim it to decide if it's appropriate for your child.

Thank you.

This book may work with a Civil War Unit for upper elementary or higher. Students may find this book to be a clever and fascinating book. Although the letter-format is fictional, the book tells a true story. A black woman and a white woman worked for the Union cause. This book may not be appropriate to read cover to cover to a class, but it could be interesting to do so. Just one letter a day, for example, would carry the discussion the entire year. The book could prompt many different kinds of discussions, including ones about historical figures.

Dear Ellen Bee is a very exciting story. It contains a lot of action and suspense. I enjoyed this book very much. I liked it a lot. I like reading books about the Civil War. Anyone who likes action reading with a personal touch would LOVE this book.

Dear Ellen Bee is a woundful book. They'er two Union spies in the Confederate stats. Then they are trying to save the Union people.Liza and Miss Bet write notes about what they are doing. They all so write letter so they now how they are doing. If you are go to read Dear Ellen Bee it is a good book. If you like the cival war and diary's read Dear Ellen Bee.

Dear Ellen Bee is a very exciting story. It contains a lot of action and suspense. I enjoyed this book very much. I liked it a lot. I like reading books about the Civil War. Anyone who likes action reading with a personal touch would LOVE this book.

I loved this book if you like diary and civil war books you would like it too. This book is about two Union spies who write to each other. In this book you read what they wrote in their diary and what they wrote to each other. In book it shows historical picturs that go along with the story. So maybe you will like it to.