The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere

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Summary: The Stunning Visualization of Paul Revere's Ride
Review: As a middle school English/Social Studies teacher, I require my students to memorize The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. I was interested in how Christopher Bing had interpreted this most famous poem by Longfellow. I must say that I was stunned by his artistic rendering of the different parts of the poem. Most unique of all was the three dimensional letter attached to the flyleaf which was written by Thomas Gage, the British commander. This letter, sent to Lt. Col. Smith, described how he (Gage) would march a force of men to Concord to seize any munitions the Americans might have stored there. And equally incredible is the three dimensional fold out deposition by Paul Revere which described the actions he took to warn the Americans the British were coming. This book was alive with surprises and "hands on" interactivity. When I tried this book out on my 110 students, they were amazed. Then something really amazing happened....history and a poem came alive, giving them a much fuller understanding of the events of April 18, 1775. The way the poem was layed out page by page even helped them memorize the poem quicker and more accurately. The maps, illustrations, and the miscellany concerning the historical ride lend so much to this famous poem that even the most jaded American historian/teacher could learn all over again why we Americans are who we are and why we do the patriotic things we do. This is a must have book for every red-blooded American! Thank you Christopher Bing for transforming American history.

Rating:
Summary: The Stunning Visualization of Paul Revere's Ride
Review: As a middle school English/Social Studies teacher, I require my students to memorize The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. I was interested in how Christopher Bing had interpreted this most famous poem by Longfellow. I must say that I was stunned by his artistic rendering of the different parts of the poem. Most unique of all was the three dimensional letter attached to the flyleaf which was written by Thomas Gage, the British commander. This letter, sent to Lt. Col. Smith, described how he (Gage) would march a force of men to Concord to seize any munitions the Americans might have stored there. And equally incredible is the three dimensional fold out deposition by Paul Revere which described the actions he took to warn the Americans the British were coming. This book was alive with surprises and "hands on" interactivity. When I tried this book out on my 110 students, they were amazed. Then something really amazing happened....history and a poem came alive, giving them a much fuller understanding of the events of April 18, 1775. The way the poem was layed out page by page even helped them memorize the poem quicker and more accurately. The maps, illustrations, and the miscellany concerning the historical ride lend so much to this famous poem that even the most jaded American historian/teacher could learn all over again why we Americans are who we are and why we do the patriotic things we do. This is a must have book for every red-blooded American! Thank you Christopher Bing for transforming American history.

Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece of History and Drama.....
Review: Christopher Bing, author of the 2001 Caldecott Honor book, Casey At The Bat, is back with his innovative and creative interpretation of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's, The Midnight Ride Of Paul Revere. His obvious love of history, meticulous research, and attention to detail transports the reader back to that long ago night. This is a very visual experience. Mr Bing's marvelously evocative illustrations give the appearance of old engravings in dark blues and subdued tones. And the text itself, looks as if it was printed on yellowed parchment, and torn from an old book or diary. Imaginations will soar as children examine historical objects, and re-creations of maps, military orders, and other documents, that appear officially sealed, and can be opened and read. This adds to the drama and excitement of the poem, and brings Longfellow's words to life. With additional end notes and historical information about the days leading up that fateful night, and beyond, and a short biography of Longfellow, Christopher Bing has authored a unique, interactive American experience. Perfect for youngsters 8 and older, The Midnight Ride Of Paul Revere is a masterpiece to be treasured and savored each and every time it's read.

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Summary: My four-year-old son loves this book!
Review: Despite the "age" recommendation, I purchased this book for my four-year-old son. We've been reading it outloud for almost a year. He absolutely loves it! It's so hard to find books for children with classic authors' words presented, without apology, in their original form. And the drawings and details in this book are outstanding. My son loves to open and refold the reproductions of letter and newspaper in the front and back, and he loves to trace Paul Revere's ride on the map with his finger. A beautiful book, with much to teach any reader, of any age. This book should be declared a national treasure.

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Summary: A superb volume from conceptual illustrator Christopher Bing
Review: I just finished reading Jeff Shaara's "Rise to Rebellion," a novel about the start of the American Revolution, which includes a chapter on Paul Revere and William Dawes riding to Concord to warn Sam Adams and John Hancock that the British were coming to arrest them and then go on to Lexington to capture the gunpowder and munitions stored there by the colonial militia. So when I saw "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" I happened to pick it up. I have never been a fan of the famous poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, especially since I remember someone arguing that the only reason he picked Revere to immortalize was because it is hard to rhyme anything with "Dawes." But once I opened up this book and saw what Christopher Bing had done in the way of graving and painting, I was captivated. On the frontpiece there is a letter you can open up that turns out to be a reproduction of a letter from Thomas Gage, the commanding general of the British troops in Boston, giving the 10th Regiment, Foot their fatal mission.

The poem is told over the course of a dozen spreads; the breakdown is not in terms of stanzas and is cued more to the narrative than the form of the poem. But as much as you might enjoy this book if you like poetry, that is nothing compared to what you will think about it if you are a student of history. There are maps of "The Plan for the Secret Expedition to Concord" and "Paul Revere's Ride and the Middlesex Alarm." On the backpiece you can open up a pamphlet being "The Deposition of Paul Revere prepared for the Massachusetts Provincial Congress." Bing might be out to illustrate Longfellow's poem, but he is also very much aware that the poet made up a lot of the details. In his "Miscellany Concerning the Historical Ride of the Patriot Paul Revere" Bing keys his comments to each of this twelve spreads, explaining the "true" history of the fabled ride. In his note on the preparation of this book, Bing take equal pains to explain the stages used in creating his masterful illustrations, which involved a glazing technique to create the "glow" in the nighttime scenes. This is a superb effort and I will definitely track down Bing's earlier volume on Ernest Lawrence Thayer's "Casey at the Bat" and eagerly await anything else this talent conceptual illustrator sets his mind to do.

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Summary: What a beautifully done book!
Review: I've been searching for a good edition of this book for years. I remember constantly checking it out of my library when I was younger and loving the poem. This is one book I'm proud to have in my own growing library and I know one day, my daughter will love reading it as well.

The illustrations that Christopher Bing did for the book are FANTASTIC and so are the maps and the actual inserts of the letter Paul Revere delivered and his deposition. I feel like I own a wonderful piece of history!

Rating:
Summary: An amazingly beautiful and creative book.
Review: This book comes alive when you open it and are allowed to step back in time with the wonderful backbeat of Longfellow's great American poem about the "the British are coming", and awakening of the people from Boston to Concord by Paul Revere. This is the beginning of America! Right before the "shot heard round the world" folks. A poem that shaped America not only in the eyes of Americans, but the rest of the world. Longfellow's poetry was simple genius. The art of Christopher Bing is outstanding. This exceptional book has the kind of creativity I would like to see more of in Children's Literature. A unique book that can be found on adult bookshelves as well.

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Summary: The midnight ride of Paul Re...Christopher Bing, illustrator
Review: This is a very classy, high quality, superbly rendered version of a great story--terrific for little kids, but attractive for adults also.

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Summary: The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere
Review: Very Interesting Details for the whole family to read.

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Summary: What a treasure!
Review: You know this book is special as soon as you touch it. You realize that the look of leather on the cover is just that, a look. You flip through the pages and find a scrapbook, complete with worn and mildewed pages, enhanced with token mementos that look so three-dimensional you must trace them with a tentative finger. A letter from Thomas Gage to Lieutenant Colonel Smith is tucked inside the front cover; the Deposition of Paul Revere is stuck in the back. We find a map of the British plan and a corresponding map of the Middlesex Alarm, including Revere's actual route. This is *not* just a casual recitation of the classic poem. The words proceed on faded sheets while Bing's illustrations hint at period woodcuts. No explanations are necessary within the text. Notes are saved for the end, and they reveal the minor inaccuracies in the Longfellow version (one of the biggest being that Paul Revere was captured outside of Lexington and that his companion Dr. Samuel Prescott was the one who made it all the way to Concord). A gift for any age ... especially for those of us who can chime off part of the rhyme but forget the whole story.