Parents' Guide to

The Secret Subway

By Darienne Stewart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Spectacular strange-but-true tale of first New York subway.

Book Shana Corey History 2016
The Secret Subway Poster Image

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What's the Story?

As the streets of New York City grew dangerously congested in the 1860s, Alfred Ely Beach thought he'd found a solution: an underground pneumatic tube to whisk people through the city. Getting the OK for such a project would be difficult in the city run by Boss Tweed, however. So Beach officially sought permission to build a small mail tube, but secretly he built a short tunnel and rail car, powered by a fan, to carry passengers. He hoped it would be the basis for a new transit system, but opposition from politicians and business owners killed his dream. His underground station was forgotten for years, until it was unearthed during excavation for the modern-day subway.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

The story of how Alfred Beach tried to build an early subway for New York City is fascinatingly recounted for the picture-book set with vivid, lively language and jaw-dropping artwork. THE SECRET SUBWAY is a quirky bit of history -- how many books aimed at preschoolers talk about Boss Tweed? -- and Shana Corey does an admirable job explaining the obstacles Beach faced in an accessible, engaging way.

The extraordinary artwork by Red Nose Studio (aka Chris Sickels) merits a full pictorial explainer on the inside of the book jacket. Resembling stills from an animated film, they're composed of clay model figures, cardboard collage backgrounds, hand-drawn accents, and meticulously crafted details. The innovative themes may prompt readers to start building their own dioramas.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about big-city politics of the 19th century. Do you think Boss Tweed was a bully?

  • Do you think it was OK for subway inventor Beach to lie about his plans? What if his project had failed or caused a collapse or serious injury?

  • What makes this a good story? Do you like reading about things that happened in the past? What other books about history have you read and liked?

Book Details

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