Soldier's Secret: The Story of Deborah Sampson

Deborah Sampson never had any desire to be a man; but when her family abandons her and her country needs her, she determines to do everything she can to be able to fight like a man. She enlists in the army to support General Washington in the War for Independence, disguising herself and battling as a young man--and fooling everyone for over a year. In Soldier's Secret, Sheila Solomon Klass does an admirable job of translating Deborah's true story to an entertaining and accessible novel for young readers. She brings historical details vividly to life, and will give readers an understanding of colonial life they will be hard-pressed to find elsewhere, illuminating the daily lives both of a woman and of a soldier.