To end slavery, many led a secret fight for freedom

“Harriet Tubman, Secret Agent: How Daring Slaves and Free Blacks Spied for the Union During the Civil War” by Thomas B. Allen (National Geographic Society, 192 pages, ages 9-13)

The years leading up to the Civil War in America were difficult times. There was a growing tension between those who supported slavery — especially landowners who relied on the free labor of slaves — and the abolitionists, people who wanted to end slavery.

Harriet Tubman, an escaped slave, was deeply involved in the battle, risking her life over and over as she helped other slaves escape. With clear writing that conveys the drama of the time, this book shows just how courageous Tubman was during a frightening time in American history.

The book really shines in its descriptions of how Tubman and many slaves and former slaves worked for the Union Army as spies during the Civil War.

Slaves at the homes of wealthy landowners and Confederate officers listened in on conversations, then delivered messages in code, while free blacks posed as slaves to pick up the codes.

The messages carried information about planned attacks. The slaves used means of communication that nobody would suspect, such as putting messages in hollowed-out eggs delivered with a basket of fresh eggs, or arranging laundry on the line to convey a secret message.

Most of these heroes worked anonymously and were never honored for the contribution they made to the country during the Civil War. Still, it’s exciting to learn their clever tricks.

The code used by one spy is even included in the back of the book, which readers can use to decipher the coded messages placed throughout the text.