The Secret Soldier: The Story Of Deborah Sampson (Scholastic Biography) (Paperback)

~ (Author), Harold Goodwin (Illustrator), Katherine Thompson (Author)
Key Phrases: Deborah Sampson, Robert Shurtliff, General Paterson (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

When "Robert Shurtliff" enlists as a common soldier in the Continental army, no one suspects there is anything unusual about him.

The new soldier serves bravely for a year and a half. It is not until he is hospitalized with fever that his secret is discovered. Private Shurtliff is really a woman - 23 year-old Deborah Sampson!

Because her mother was too poor to take care of her, Deborah had been sent away from home at an early age. For ten years, she was a servant for the Deacon Thomas family in the Massachusetts Bay Colony town of Middle borough, looking after four growing c hildren and doing chores. Deborah was too busy even to go to school. Besides, in the late 1700's people didn't think schooling was important for girls - girls couldn't even learn a trade as men could.

Deborah longs for a life of her own. When she leaves the Thomas family at the age of eighteen, she is not ready to settle down and get married. She wants to see a bit of the wold first - to travel to big cities like Boston, Philadelphia, and New York.

If she were a man, she could find adventure by joining the army...

How Deborah keeps her identity a secret during long, exhausting marches and bloody raids against the Tories, and how her bravery brings the admiration of her fellow soldiers, her commanding general, and finally her county, makes exciting, suspenseful reading.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

From Chapter 4 -- Free - to Do What?: Deborah dreamed of a great adventure. Doing housework from morning till night and looking after a house full of babies was not her idea of a great adventure. Not yet. Not now.

Now she wanted to travel, to walk in different places, to see different faces.

During the war she had heard of Boston, Philadelphia, New York. Would she ever see those great cities?

In those days, if a poor man wanted to travel and have adventures, he joined the army.

"Why can't I join the army too?" Deborah thought. Then she laughed at herself.

"Me - Deborah Sampson - a soldier!" she thought. She knew the army was only for men.

"Wait," she told herself. "Why not me? Wasn't I a teacher without ever going to school? Wasn't I a good teacher?

"Why not a soldier? Why not dress like a man and be a soldier!"

She went to sleep that night thinking about it. She dreamed about it.

And when she woke up, her head was filled with the single thought. It wasn't a dream now. It was a hope - a plan - a secret plan!

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks (June 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590430521
• ISBN-13: 978-0590430524
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.1 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #96,951 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Secret Soldier : The Story of Deborah Sampson, April 12, 2000

By	Julie Cooley-Rieders (California) - See all my reviews

Ann McGovern has written an easily read biography for beginning readers of a woman who made historical history at the time of the Revolutionary War. Deborah disguised herself as a male soldier in the War so that she could seek adventure. She learned the hardships of the War first hand and kept her identity hidden until she was wounded. The illustrations in the story are a delightful addition which allows a young reader to stay interested in the text. I believe my son who is a reluctant reader will enjoy this book and learn about an interesting role that one women played in our countries history.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still remembering this book 15 years after reading it, December 9, 2006

By	Elizabeth G. Kennedy - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

My mother originally bought this book for me in first grade because my teacher recommended that I start reading "chapter books" since I had done well on reading exams. In addition, my mother identified with the title character because they have the same name. What my mom thought would be a good introduction to more complex reading actually began (or sparked) my feminist beliefs and lifestyle. I still remember feeling that I could do ANYTHING -- regardless of my sex, race, or age -- after reading this book and highly recommend it for young girls.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book!, May 7, 2000

By A Customer

I read this as a child in the early 80s. The local librarian recommended it to me and I absolutely loved it! I still remember it after all these years and I highly recommend it!