Anna Strong

Dramatic music and appropriate sound effects set the scene for this Revolutionary War biography of the fearless Patriot spy Anna Smith Strong. Narrator Heather Lind's serious tone adds gravitas to the story of Strong's dangerous exploits as she spied on British soldiers from her Long Island estate. As the only woman in the Culper Spy Ring, Strong was less suspicious than male spies, who were often imprisoned or executed. She used this to her advantage by hanging laundry outside in a deliberately coded way that spies could "read." In addition to the author's research notes, the production also includes instructions for making invisible ink, page-turn chimes, and an artist's note that may make listeners want to see the illustrations for themselves. S.C. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine