Hiding in Plain Sight – Perfect Picture Book Friday

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I’m excited to feature this fabulous nonfiction picture book, one that will keep kids on the edge of their seats. And the author, Beth Anderson, will send a lucky winner a copy of the book. Just leave a comment OR respond to a social media post that lets me know you’d like to enter the giveaway.

Now, let’s admire the cover. It combines the logo of the Pinkerton Detective Agency, a visual representation of sight, as well as for being within the sight of an assassin’s weapon. And fittingly, hiding within the shadow is the heroine of the story, a sprinkling of what look like stars, and the train (it’s beacon of light shining toward the right) carrying Lincoln to his inauguration or to his death. Brilliant!

The opening immediately catches the reader’s attention:

Abraham Lincolm stepped up on the platform, ready to
face an uncertain future. Soon, he'd be president 
of a broken nation.

Seven Southern states had already seceded, refusing 
to be part of the United States. They rejected Lincoln's
opposition to slavery. Challenged his promise to keep
the Union together. Vowed that he would not become 
their president!

The inaugural train pulled out. Lincoln's thirteen-day
journey to the nation's capital began. With hope. And worry.

Would he make it to his inauguration in Washington, DC?

The context and stakes are set with a handful of choice words containing the uncertainty of a “broken” nation’s future. The sentences are short before ending with two sentence fragments that lead with charged verbs: challenged and vowed. The question at the end propels the reader forward.

On the right hand page, Lincoln’s quote portends the uncertainty of his own future. The date, stamped at the top, resembles a signpost at the train station. Readers are ready to set off on this journey through time and space as if it were happening right now.

Enter a mysterious Mrs. Barley, a Yankee spy, working her charms in Baltimore, Maryland, a state where slavery was legal and many weren’t fans of the newly elected president. She eavesdrops, coaxes out secrets. Discovers that a plot to assassinate Lincoln in Baltimore is REAL!

Mrs. Barley, aka Kate Warne, taps on a door in the hotel (check out that door knocker!) and relays this information to Pinkerton, the head of the detective agency.

This is all of the interior I’m going to share. Suffice to say, it’s eerily atmospheric with dark colors and shadows. And that eyeball on the door knocker gives me shivers.

The author uses the train schedule’s ticking clock, while focusing on key moments when information is discovered, relayed, confirmed, and acted upon to heighten the tension for readers. We see Kate Warne use all of her skills, including insight, fierceness, or persuasion, depending on what the situation requires. I see her as a human chameleon, akin to Meryl Streep.

Lincoln makes it safely to Washington DC, but the book doesn’t end there. After all, Kate is the heroine of this story. Like any good spy, she avoids the limelight, melts into the background, and readies herself for her next assignment. For she becomes the supervisor of Pinkerton’s Female Detective Bureau and spies for the Union during the Civil War.

THIS is how history should be revealed to hold kids’ interest while marveling at the heroism of those who’ve put their lives on the line for the betterment of our country (in contrast to the individuals who are currently using and abusing their power to destroy it).

Back matter includes more detailed information about what was known about the assassination plot at the time, information about Lincoln, slavery, the nature of private railroads that made his trip even more dangerous, background on what made Warne so successful and other details about the way spy operations work. The bibliography provides sources for all quotes used in the text, along with primary and secondary sources, an illustrator’s note, and photos of Lincoln and possibly of Kate Warne.

The book is a magnificent blend of meticulous research, masterful writing, and inspired illustration. I particularly enjoyed reading how the illustrator was influenced by the “unusual decorative details and surreal perspectives” of the collage albums (aka scrapbook houses) from that time period. The illustrations were created in pencil, collage, digital collage, and digital paint.

Activities:

Beth Anderson’s website contains a vast array of educator resources. Check them out!

Make your own eyeball door knocker, using a stick-on hook, an old plastic or metal towel ring, and an image you’ve drawn of an eyeball, similar to the Pinkerton “eye that never sleeps.” Make sure the whole image fits inside the boundary of the ring. Spread a line of glue on the back of the ring, and then press the image to the rings so the eye is in the center of the circle. Cut off any excess paper around the edges of the ring. Attach the hook and ring to your bedroom door. Once it’s attached, create your own secret spy knock.

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Pair this book with The Eye That Never Sleeps, written by Marissa Moss and illus. by Jeremy Holmes. Discuss how your view of history (and of those involved) changes depending on where the lens is focused.

Title: Hiding in Plain Sight: Kate Warne and the Race to Save Abraham Lincoln

Author: Beth Anderson

Illustrator: Sally Wern Comport

Publisher: Calkins Creek, Astra Books for Young Readers, 2025

Ages: Elementary school through middle school

Themes: Abraham Lincoln, Kate Warne, spying

For more perfect picture book recommendations, please visit Susanna Hill’s website.