This book provides an interesting angle on the American Revolution and will be of particular interest to students who love history, specifically the American Revolution and/or spy themes. It might also serve as a great hook for students who are not usually drawn to history topics. The stories within each chapter focus on the spies (even George Washington himself was one), and "secret" anecdotes (John Hancock was rumored to be a smuggler) that young students might find more exciting than the typical explanations and timelines that are in their history textbooks. Mixed in between these stories are fun activities relating to spy themes, such as how to develop a good "spy memory", cracking Washington's code book, and how to make invisible ink. This small book is full of interesting, engaging information. However, the pages are densely crowded with text with some advanced vocabulary and sentence structuring. It will be fine for advanced readers to use independently, but for other students it might be better as a read-aloud. The book also could be a good accompaniment in class to a unit on the American Revolution with opportunity to do the activities in small groups, or as a fun wind-down reading and activity at home for interested students.

• Provides sufficient and varied types of practice problems to maximize understanding and generalization of the targeted skill/concept
• Manufacturer claims alignment with Common Core/Known Standards
• Presents educational concepts accurately
• Explains answers so students can learn from mistakes
• Better for teaching the skill to new or struggling learners
• Better for practicing or refreshing the skill
• Skills are practiced through authentic, meaningful problems (not just rote practice)

• Appropriate for a broad age range to use and enjoy
• Subject matter and problems are relevant, interesting and authentic to students
• Includes reward stickers
• Visually stimulating and appealing (uses student-centered pictures, colors, and themes)
• Graphics and overall feel of the workbook is appropriate for the target age range
• Relative to most workbooks, fun to use from a child's perspective
• Offers ongoing, progressive challenge
• Overall - Enjoyable. Given the option, students would choose this option

• Attention
• Visually distracting with too many pictures, problems or moving objects
• Reading Comprehension
• Verbal Reasoning
• Assumes specific knowledge or vocabulary without "look-up" options
• Visual Discrimination
• Words used during activity can be too small or difficult to read
• Visually distracting with too many pictures, problems or moving objects
• Vocabulary
• Assumes specific knowledge or vocabulary without "look-up" options

George Washington had his own secret agents, hired pirates to fight the British, and helped Congress smuggle weapons, but you won't learn that in your history books! Learn the true stories of the American Revolution and how spies used musket balls, books, and laundry to send messages. Discover the female Paul Revere, solve a spy puzzle, and make your own disappearing ink. It's all part of the true stories from the Top Secret Files of History. Take a look if you dare, but be careful! Some secrets are meant to stay hidden...