When Paul Revere Rode: Voices from the First Night of the American Revolution

$19.99
by Sarah L. Thomson

Shop Now
Poems, prose, and dramatic art show how ordinary people, as well as famous ones, played vital roles during the night of Paul Revere's ride and the beginning of the American Revolution, in this picture book for ages 7–10. Here is the thrilling account of Paul Revere’s midnight ride to warn colonists in the towns of Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, that the British were coming. Brief narrative text and poems written from the point of view of ordinary people who took part in this historic event make this a unique picture book. Readers will meet: the stable boy who raced to Paul Revere to deliver the news that the British soldiers were ready to march - a woman who told British soldiers pounding on her door that she was merely preparing a cup of tea for her husband, when in fact they were melting pewter spoons into bullets - an enslaved man who was woken in the middle of the night to alert the Lincoln blacksmith that the British soldiers were marching - and many more, including one poem in the voice of Paul Revere himself When Paul Revere Rode is a lyrical nonfiction deep dive into a critical turning point in US history. Sarah L. Thomson’s engaging verse and Nik Henderson’s dynamic illustrations will sweep young readers ages 7–10 off on the dramatic horseback journey that kickstarted the American Revolution. " The ghostly image of Paul Revere gallops across the cover of this intriguing title. Using voices from those who participated in Revere’s historic ride and the beginning of the American Revolution in one way or another, Thomson dramatically brings readers into the moment-by-moment drama of that fateful night. Henderson’s graphite and digitally colored illustrations capture the clandestine nighttime action as well as the fear and anticipation of people and animals on both sides of the impending conflict through gripping close-ups. The narrative style features a short introduction to the featured moment of the spread followed by a poem that effectively captures the sentiments; historical quotes further bring the event to life... Gripping art and effective text place readers in the middle of this dramatic night in ­American history. Recommended."-- School Library Journal “Thomson and Henderson’s unique collaboration fractures a historical moment usually attributed to one person into a broader variety of sixteen characters. Henderson’s textured illustrations beautifully evoke the low light of the evening ride, while Thomson’s fast-moving verse captures the night’s excitement. Time-stamped and written in first person, each poem begins with a note of historical context, then ends with a quote from a real person. The mixture of imagined dialogue and real facts necessitates further context, but a helpful guide to each voice rounds out the experience. An innovative peek into the many small moments that led up to the American Revolution.”— Kirkus Reviews "When Paul Revere Rode is a fresh, unique addition to the many books on the American Revolution that already populate public and school libraries. The cover is haunting, illustrated in shades of blue to depict the night. Paul Revere’s facial expression appears determined and brave. I immediately wanted to dive right in... The poetic prose makes this book an excellent read-aloud. Children will be enthralled by the illustrations and the language... This book is a truly beautiful combination of striking artwork and compelling text."— Youth Services Book Review "With a deep dive into historical records, Thomson offers a moment-by-moment account of events during the afternoon and night of April 18, 1775, with biographical notes on all the significant participants, direct quotes from some, and free-verse poems in several voices adding personal takes and commentary... The author closes with a lively summary of the ensuing battle, and the anxious figures in Henderson’s windswept, moonlit illustrations all have a ghostly look that further heightens the drama of the historic turning point."— Booklist Sarah L. Thomson has written everything from picture books to young adult novels. The Dragon’s Son , a young adult novel, was a JLG selection, earned two starred reviews, and was on VOYA’s Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror list; Dragon’s Egg was a JLG selection and a Maine Lupine Award winner. Her picture books include What Lincoln Said illustrated by James Ransome, among many others. She lives in Portland, Maine. Nik Henderson is a children’s book illustrator and visual development artist with a degree in illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design. His titles include Trucks on Trucks by Sorche Fairbank, Granny Rex by Kurtis Scaletta, and Evidence! How Dr. John Snow Solved the Mystery of Cholera by Deborah Hopkinson, which earned three starred reviews. He currently resides in Strafford, Missouri.

Customer Reviews

No ratings. Be the first to rate

 customer ratings


How are ratings calculated?
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Review This Product

Share your thoughts with other customers