Customer Reviews

Toliver's Secret

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I used this novel to teach a summer reading class for fourth and fifth grade students. Our theme was the American Revolution. Toliver's Secret is about a timid girl who is asked to help the Patriots by delivering a secret message, hidden in a loaf of bread, to a courier. As the simple plan becomes complicated, she learns to be more self-confident and to believe in herself. Even though the story is set in the past, young readers can relate to her emotions in a timeless manner. I would use this book again to enhance discussion about the American Revolution and to learn about the importance of overcoming fears that get in the way of accomplishments.

This book was a perfect novel to illustrate the perils of war, and the American Revolution for my fifth grade class. I used it as the middle level novel for my American Revolution literature circles. It worked extremely well, and I felt my average readers got as much out of our studies as my advanced readers who were able to read a more challenging novel. I highly recommend this book.

This is an outstanding piece of historical fiction for young readers. It can be used in a classroom to bring the Revolutionary War alive in the minds of young readers. You take every step with Ellen Toliver and hold your breath with every obstacle she faces. Ten year old Ellen changes from a timid, shy girl to a confident, spunky girl,and young readers can identify with her feelings. The ending satisfies the reader's need for closure to Ellen's adventures, but it also leaves the reader with a question to wonder about. I couldn't put this book down the first time I read it. My fourth grade students want a sequel!

Young,gentle,and quiet Ellen Toliver learns to stand up for herself and to have great courage in Toliver's Secret. It takes place in New York, in the winter time during the Revolutionary War. Each day Ellen dreads to go to the well to get water because each time Dicey bullies her. Prefering to stay inside with her mother and grandfather, she rarely goes outside. But after her breathtaking adventure she changes her mind. Her grandfather,being an American spy, asked Ellen to tade a message hidden in a loaf of bread to Elizabeth Town. Find out what daring adventures ahe goes through, getting braver and braver at each step. I think this a wonderful book and anyone who likes adventures should read it.

This is an excellent and cool book. It is very interesting.
It is about a timid girl who learns to be brave.
Once I started reading the book I got lost in it. This book teaches you how to fight bullies.
This book will give you an idea about life during the revolutionary war. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys adventures and is brave.

If you have a son who won't pick up a book written about a girl, his life is about to change. Set during the Revolutionary War, this book chronicles a few days in the life of Ellen, a young girl tapped to act as a spy on her grandfather's behalf. The author has crafted a book about relationships, history, and courage while keeping the level of adventure and excitement intense. We couldn't put the book down. In fact, we all got so into it, that we ended up reading it aloud. Don't miss this exceptional opportunity to let your children identify with the dilemmas and the courage of the young Ellen Toliver

Tolivers secret was a reading choice for our class and i chose it because it sounded cool. And it turned out to be really interesting and exciting. I thought it made learning about the Revolutionary war fun because it was from a total different point of view than our textbook. i liked it because it was exciting because Ellen always had a interesting problem going on. I recomend this book for anyone. This is a definite read. I loved this book and also my other classmates! i hope you read it!

Toliver was a girl who was very timid. She was bullied at the water pump every morning. Her grandfather has to send a VERY important message to George Washington (leader of the continental army). On the day he has to deliver it, he sprains his ankle and can't make the journey. He believes in Toliver even though she doesn't believe in herself. She dresses in boy clothes and goes out of the house with the loaf of bread that her mother baked the message into. When she gets outside, two boys grab it and run away, teasing her. She runs after them and a women gives her a broom. She swats at them until they drop the loaf. She grabs it, runs, and hides. Now she is lost. She eventually gets to the dock where she has to ride across on a fisherman's boat. She looks everywhere, but there are no boats beside British soldier boats. One soldier smells her bread and grabs her into the boat. He shoves her down in-between himself and another soldier. Then he tries to get the bread. She tries her best to keep it away from his fat fingers. You have to read the book to find out about what happens on the boat trip. People who like short, quick-read, historic fiction books will like this book. I liked it because you felt like you were standing right next to Toliver when she was in the boat. This book had a good characterization because you know what most of the characters are feeling. If you like going on a journey with a young girl, you should read this book.

A wonderfully written book that makes the reader not want to put it down until every mysterious detail has been revealed. My fourth grade students and I got completely involved in Toliver's Secret and learned so much more about the revolution from it than we did from our textbook.

I was given "Toliver's Secret" as a gift when in 4th grade. I read it several times. I loved it. As an Elementary School teacher, it is still a favorite of mine. It provides excitement and fun for the reader, has great character development, while at the same time allowing the reader to learn what things were like during the Revolutionary War.