The Spy Who Wore Petticoats: A Graphic Novel Biography of Anna Strong

by Bruce Berglund, Alessandro Valdrighi (Illustrator), Dante Ginevra (Illustrator)

Overview

During the Revolutionary War, an unsuspecting woman named Anna Smith Strong became one of America’s most wanted spies. In this action-packed graphic novel, follow Strong’s brilliant plan of passing communications to George Washington’s Continental Army. To keep the information secret from British soldiers, this brave Patriot hung out her laundry—including her famous petticoats—in a specific pattern, a coded message for her allies. With fast-paced text and full-color illustrations, this nonfiction graphic novel showcases the courage and quick thinking of one of history’s unsung heroes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781669083139
Publisher:	Capstone
Publication date:	01/01/2025
Series:	Barrier Breakers
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

About the Author

Bruce Berglund is a writer and historian. For 19 years, he taught history at Calvin College and the University of Kansas. His courses included the history of China, Russia, women in Europe, sports, and war in modern society. He has earned three Fulbright awards and traveled to 17 countries for research and teaching. His most recent book is The Fastest Game in the World, a history of world hockey published by the University of California Press. Bruce works as a writer at Gustavus Adolphus College, and he teaches writing classes at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. His four children grew up reading books from Capstone Press, especially the graphic novel versions of classic literature. Bruce grew up in Duluth and now lives in southern Minnesota.
Alessandro Valdrighi was born by the sea in 1980 in beautiful Castiglione della Pescaia, Italy. He studied at the prestigious Accademia di Belle Arti (Academy of Fine Arts) in Florence and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree as a set designer. Alessandro learned to draw at an early age by copying comics and illustrations from books. He believes this is the reason he is now successful using multiple art styles. Alessandro has worked as a cartoonist, illustrator, and concept artist in both traditional and digital media. In 2011 he won a prize for his work on Lágrimas en la lluvia, featured as the best comic book publication in Spain. Alessandro lives and works in Siena, Italy, with his wife and two daughters, and a crazy cat.

Interviews

Features lesser-known stories of people who made a difference, providing fresh perspectives of historical events for kids;