You can find Longfellow’s poem anywhere. See? It’s right here on the internet. But this version is stunning, so if you’re going to look at one in picture book format, this is it. The illustrations are gorgeous and go a long way towards helping children understand what is happening in the poem. The front includes a map of Paul Revere’s ride and the endpapers include both a copy of General Thomas Gage’s order to Lieutenant Colonel Smith of the 10th Regiment ‘Foot and Paul Revere’s Deposition for the Massachusetts Provincial Congress. Both of these are reprinted primary source documents.
This is probably best used as a read-aloud or read together with students Grades 3 and up. I found my top reading group in third grade could get through it with support but I expect their classmates would have gotten less out of it.
Great for: If you like picture book versions of poems this is a must have. I love having illustrated editions of great poems because they really get kids interested in poetry and enable them to understand (with assistance) far beyond what you would expect.
Historical Note: While Revere typically gets credit for the ride, he did not start it alone. He rode with William Dawes. During the ride Revere was captured, but Dawes continued, and a rider from Lexington, Samuel Prescott rode ahead to Concord. After that point, numerous riders spread the alarm throughout the area. Much of Longfellow’s poem is not historically accurate, but if you like, you can have students do the work of sorting out what is fact and what is myth.
This content review only covers Longfellow’s poem and not any material shown in the or explained in the endpapers.
Sex, Nudity, Dating – None.
Profanity – None.
Death, Violence and Gore – Soldiers are shown with their guns. There is a reference to and illustration of a graveyard. Longfellow foreshadows the battles by referring to “bloody work.” A man dies, pierced by a musket-ball. Soldiers are drawn engaged in battle, the guns blazing. There is no one discernibly dead or injured in the frame however.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – Men in a tavern are drawn with full glasses.
Frightening or Intense Things – The dark illustrations lend an air of foreboding to the poem.
