Stories abounding in romantic and stirring adventures conferring about historical events are stories that unfailingly delight young people, and Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons is a tale of this kind. It is a story of the historic siege of Leyden, in which the young heroine and her brave and ready-witted brother, an actual boy of whom history gives a glimpse, play a not insignificant part. The raising of the siege of Leyden—the breaking of the dikes, the sailing of the great Dutch men-of-war over the flooded meadow, the flight of the besieging Spaniards, the rejoicings of the half-starved townsmen—will be forever imprinted upon the minds of young people by this graphic, simple, and moving narrative.

For these among other reasons Jacqueline makes a strong appeal:

1. It is one of those rare books written in a spirit children like, and yet not written down to them.

2. It stamps indelibly in the memory of young people an historical moment in the life of a nation that has had a potent influence upon our own history, as Dr. Griffis points out circumstantially in his introduction.

3. It abounds in the stirring and romantic incidents that strike the imagination of young people.

4. The book itself is, thanks to the cover design and illustrations by George Wharton Edwards, a most dainty and attractive volume.

From the dust jacket

 

“The hush of a golden May afternoon lay on the peaceful, watery streets of Leyden.”

Thus begins the story of Jacqueline and her brother, Gysbert, but things do not remain peaceful for long. Leyden soon lay completely encircled by the Spanish army. With wonderfully trained carrier pigeons, determination to find a way out of the city, and a lot of courage, the two siblings believe they can help free Leyden. Augusta Huiell Seaman weaves rich historical detail into an engaging plot, complete with a father who has been missing for years, a nurse acting mysteriously, and a dangerous visitor to the city.

From The Good and The Beautiful edition