When Paul Revere Rode - by Sarah L Thomson (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

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 5-10 off on the dramatic horseback journey that kickstarted the American Revolution.

Review Quotes

"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

About the Author

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.