Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Paul Revere’s Ride
Illustrator: Brian Bascle
Nonfiction Graphic Novel Series
For ages 8 to 10
Capstone Press, 2005 ISBN: 978-0736849654
The story of Paul Revere’s famous ride has been told many times. Often the tale has been simplified. Did you know for example that Paul was captured as he made his way towards the town of Concord? Thankfully the British redcoats who caught him were distracted by the sound of gun shots in the distance. They decided to set Paul free, though they did take away his horse. Did you know that he was not alone on his ride, and that he also had to hide a trunk of important papers that Hancock had left behind when he fled Lexington.
The whole purpose of the ride was to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams, who were in the town of Lexington, that the British were sending soldiers to arrest them. Paul was a comrade of Hancock and Adams. All three were part of a select group of men who refused to accept that the British crown had the right to impose laws on the American colonists.
Told in a fresh and informative way, this version of Paul Revere’s story is sure to surprise readers who did not know how many dangers Paul and his friends had to face and how close they came to being caught by the enemy. The graphic comic book style format will please young readers who are put off by long pages of text.
