Dear Ellen Bee: A Civil War Scrapbook of Two Union Spies

Lyons, M.E., & Branch, M. M. (2000). Ellen Rose: A Civil War scrapbook of two Union Spies.. New York: Scholastic, Inc.

Grade Level: grades 6-9
Category: historical fiction, journal
Read-Alouds: pp. 28-33 (Slave codes); pp. 40-46 (John Brown); pp. 67-75 (spying); pp. 98-105 (Ellen Bee); pp. 150-155 (Epilogue).

Summary: Elizabeth Van Lew was a wealthy southern woman who sympathized with abolitionists and freed her slaves. Miss Bet, as she was called, dearly loved one particular former slave, a child named Mary Elizabeth Bowser, and provided an education for the girl in Pennsylvania. During the Civil War, Miss Bet and Liza joined a Union spy ring and provided Union military leaders with information regarding Confederate President Jefferson show more Davis and the happenings in Richmond, VA. For their loyalty to the North, Liza and Miss Bet (called L and B or later, Ellen Bee), lost their wealth, social status, friends and family.
Themes: Themes surrounding this book are largely historical but also have modern implications. For example, Miss Bet’s patriotism is questioned when she helps the North instead of the South. This could bring up the historical and modern political implications of patriotism. In addition, family and friendships during adversity, history from the view of the “sacred” or “profane”, coming of age, wages of war, and slavery/freedom could be discussed.
Discussion Questions:
• How does this book help explain a new perspective on the death of James Brown? The Emancipation Proclamation? The life of Civil War soldiers for both the Union and Confederacy?
• In the Civil War South, what is patriotism? How does Miss Bet break the rules of patriotism and what is her punishment?
• Miss Bet and Liza lost a lot for their contribution to the Union military. List what was lost and discuss if the loss was worth it in the long run.

Reader Response: Civil War history fascinates me and I’d never heard of “Ellen Bee” so I was pretty excited about reading it. The layout is a great idea; the plan was to compile the book to look like Van Lew’s actual scrapbook. Although it was a good idea, I don’t think it came together well. Many letters are not signed and I can see students being confused by who is writing the letters and who they are written to. In addition, many of the illustrations seemed unnecessary. The book does provide good supplementary facts on the Civil War but it would be pretty easy to lose them in the layout. I’m glad I read Ellen Bee because I think the knowledge that two of the most useful Richmond spies were a former slave woman and white woman is fascinating. However, I’m not sure I would use this book in a classroom simply because it seemed a bit disorganized and the disorganization made the information a bit overwhelming and inaccessible. show less

Pretty good if you like scrapbooks, Civil War history, or spies. It's about two women in Richmond, VA who are Union spies. One's white and the other is her former slave.

A scrapbook kept by a young black girl details her experiences and those of the older white woman, "Miss Bet," who had freed her and her family. The girl is sent north from Richmond to get an education, and then works to bring an end to slavery. Based on the life of Elizabeth Van Lew.