Hiding in Plain Sight - Perfect Picture Book Friday #PPBF

With the craziness of the January 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol Attack, this moment in history when the first female detective, Kate Warne (and the Pinkertons), protected and secretly transported Abraham Lincoln to his inauguration takes on increased importance and poignancy. Beth Anderson masterfully interweaves a biographical look at Kate Warne with the urgent and important race to get Lincoln safely to Washington, D.C. for his inauguration. The accompanying illustrations by Sally Wern Comport gorgeously heighten the urgency and intrigue involved in this life and death race against time. It is truly a stunning nonfiction picture book!

Book cover -Kate Warne in a shadow, Lincoln in the pupil of a open eye, and a dark train shilouette races across the bottom of the page.

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

Author: Beth Anderson

Illustrator: Sally Wern Comport

Publisher: Calkins Creek/Astra Publishing (2025)

Ages: 7-10

Themes:

Nonfiction, biography, female detective, Baltimore assassination, and Abraham Lincoln.

Synopsis:

America’s first female detective Kate Warne’s mission? Protect president-elect Abraham Lincoln from Southern rebels bent on assassinating him before his inauguration.

Abraham Lincoln faces a dangerous and uncertain future after leaving Springfield, Illinois, for his inauguration in Washington, DC. Luckily for him, detective Kate Warne has his back, even if he didn’t know it yet.

Working for the Pinkerton Detective Agency, Kate uncovers the rebel plot to kill Abraham Lincoln in Baltimore. Kate warns Lincoln’s staff that this only Southern city on his inaugural train route to Washington, DC is planning a deadly welcome. President-elect Lincoln is urged to change his route. But he refuses to cancel his commitments. In a race against time, Kate and Pinkerton have one last chance. Using disguises, false names, and the cover of darkness, the detectives put their plan into action.

Can they sneak Lincoln through Baltimore undetected?

Can they fool the spies watching his every move?

Can they get Lincoln safely to DC?

This exciting American history picture book from award-winning author Beth Anderson, well-known for action-packed books on daring women, and illustrated by Sally Wern Comport in her signature mix of collage, drawing, and paint, brings Kate Warne to thrilling and vivid life.

Opening lines:

Abraham Lincoln 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 succeeded, 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?

What I LOVED about this book:

I adore this book. Beth Anderson and Sally Wern Comport beautifully blended exciting, thrilling text with sepia toned, collage images that amplify and heighten the sense of urgency and danger. Just look at the amazing end pages - with Kate's racing figure at the top, the darkened image of the train speeding past, shadowy figures in the train car, and the map of the train's route.

End page - collaged onto a map with the route of Lincoln's train are images from the book, including those of Kate, Lincoln, and the train.

Text © Beth Anderson, 2025. Image © Sally Wern Comport, 2025.

The opening spread is glorious, too. So many wonderful touches in the illustrations subtly enhance the feeling of a "ticking time bomb" as the book progresses. Most of the spreads contain the subtle inclusion of a clock - counting down the time - and a banner with the progressing dates. For the important stops along the route, there is a stylish magnifying glass pinpointing the train's location. The opening text eloquently captures Mr. Lincoln's (and the nation's) conflicting emotions - uncertain, hopeful, and worried.

Internal Spread - imposed in the center of the train route map, Lincoln waves goodbye to a crowd in Springfield.

As Lincoln's journey begins, we meet Kate Warne in her disguise as "Mrs. Barley," a proper southern lady feigning "outrage against Lincoln" who in actuality was eavesdropping and gathering information for the detective Mr. Pinkerton. Sally Wern Comport's wonderful collages utilize a style "also known as scrapbook houses," and layer gorgeous textures, period clothing, and furnishings with cityscapes and a progressing train route map.

Internal spread - on the left a man stands in a darkened doorway. Six ladies mingle in the middle. And on the right, Kate stands behind a curtain listening.

Upon learning that the plot against Lincoln was genuine, Kate rushed from Baltimore to New York to intercept the train and "convince Mr. Lincoln his life was in danger." But Lincoln threw a wrench in their strategic and carefully designed plan. Suddenly, Kate and Pinkerton must rush to find a way to save the president-elect in one night's time. As the stress and danger increases, the scenes darken and then develop into a deep red hue. Increasing the feeling of danger and urgency built into the fast-paced, suspenseful text.

Internal spread - on the left, spot illustration contains a map and a pocket watch. On the right, Kate and Pinkerton lean over maps by lanmp light. In the background a black train shilouette races across the bottom of the page.

Like Beth Anderson noted on Monday, everyone knows Lincoln made it to Washington, D.C. and became president. But do they know how it happened and how close it actually came to not happening? This engaging, fast-paced historical adventure captures the twists and turns of the trip and stress of the detectives and Mr. Lincoln's aide as they struggled to ensure that Mr. Lincoln made it to his inauguration. Wonderful back matter explores a bit more of the plot, the mystery around Kate Warne, and offers information on this illustration style. This is a spectacular nonfiction picture book recounting the contribution of a lesser-known brave and ingenious woman’s contribution to presidential history and opening doors for future female investigators.

Resources:

try some of these 12 detective activities for yourself - including codes, invisible messages, and fingerprints.

how did Kate Warne "hide in plain sight"? What allowed her to do this? What do you think she did to "change roles" from Mrs. Barley to Mrs. Cherry? Check out the back matter if you need some hints.
check out the book's discussion guide written by Beth Anderson.

If you missed my interview with Beth Anderson on Monday, find it (here).

This post is part of a series of blog posts by authors and KidLit bloggers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays. For more picture book suggestions and resources see Susanna Leonard Hill's Perfect Picture Books.