The Scarlet Stockings Spy by Trinka Hakes Noble

"Even the smallest of citizens can play the largest of parts when the birth of a nation if at stake...(for) the role of a patriot has nothing to do with age and everything to do with heart."

This book is powerful. It is the story of a young girl who helps Washington's army in the Revolutionary War by sending secret messages to her brother, a soldier in the army, via her inconspicuous, third-floor clothesline. It is a story of courage, sacrifice and devotion that is at times heart wrenching and other times wildly funny. Reading it was absorbingly enjoyable-like watching an old Turner Classic movie- I have so many favorite parts. One of my favorite parts is when her brother Jonathan comes dressed as an old widow in the middle of the night to check the clothesline status. The little girl and her brother have worked out an ingenious system where the clothesline is secret code for the ships in the harbor, wether they are dangerous and loaded with British weapons or harmlessly loaded with bread. Because the British are everywhere, he must wear a disguise and go by night. This time, he comes limping, with a cane and Maddy Rose is seriously concerned until he blows her away by doing a perfect handstand, balancing like an acrobat on top of the stick. Maddy Rose bursts out laughing of course.

        Because of the beautiful detail and heroic young girl, this story reads like the story of Ester from the Bible. It seems so real to me and from reading the authors note, it is not hard to understand why. Trinka Hakes Noble's own story mixes and intertwines with Maddy's. James Hakes, a direct ancestor of Trinka Hakes, served in the Revolutionary War. This is quite remarkable, but the author goes on to write that General Washington actually visited her great ancestors home when he was expecting a child and if it was a boy, the general requested that it be named in his honor. Soon thereafter, George Washington Hakes was born! Before writing the Scarlet Stocking's Spy, Trinka re-visited the land of her ancestors, walking the battlefield at Princeton, New Jersey, where her ancestors fought 227 years ago. Writing about her experiences she states: "I was deeply moved and felt not only immense gratitude and pride, but a strong connection to those who came before me, to the characters in the story, to my own cherished freedom, and to my own country." She considered it an honor to write the book and I am grateful to have discovered it.