The Midnight Ride Of Paul Revere - Hardcover

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), a professor of French and Spanish at Harvard University, was one of the first American academics to have a truly global interest in literature. He became convinced that America was in need of its own mythology, poeti

Grade 4-8-Paul Revere rides again in this oversized version of Longfellow's narrative poem, reproduced here in its entirety, with the stanzas generally laid out as they are in the original version. Thompson's excellent scratchboard and computer-colorized illustrations follow the pattern of this layout, with each full-page drawing accompanying one or two stanzas of the narrative. The artwork has a formal, more stylized look to it than Paul Galdone's drawings in Paul Revere's Ride (Crowell, 1963; o.p.) or Ted Rand's realistic, action-packed paintings in Paul Revere's Ride (Dutton, 1990), and their woodcutlike appearance seems to fit the mood of this monumental tale. Using mostly subdued tones of blue, black, and brown with occasional touches of color (such as the red in the grenadiers' coats), the artist has provided a suitable backdrop for the somber message that the horseman had to deliver. As is true of the aforementioned versions, Revere figures prominently in the illustrations; however, Thompson also alters the perspective in several scenes. In doing so, readers come to understand that this poem is not just about one man's heroic deed, but is also about the nameless people who gave up their lives for the cause of liberty, such as the villager asleep in his bed "Who at the bridge would be first to fall." The map and historical note at the end of the book indicate the inaccuracies of Longfellow's poem, illustrating how writers sometimes employ poetic license. Most libraries will want to own this accomplished rendering.
Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI
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