When Paul Revere Rode

When Paul Revere Rode: Voices from the First Night of the American Revolution
by Sarah L. Thomson, illustrated by Nik Henderson

Ages: 7-10
Poetry
Calkins Creek
March 2026
Hardcover Trade $19.99

A midnight ride. A warning carried. A revolution began. Two and a half centuries ago, Paul Revere set off on his historic ride. But the story of that night is not just the story of one man. A revolution is made by the simple actions of ordinary people, from the stable boy who raced through the streets of Boston with the news that British troops were on the march, to the merchant who gave his horse to the patriot cause, to the teenager who stood with the militia on the green at Lexington, facing a battle to come. In this book we hear their voices in poetry–and we also hear the voice of Paul Revere himself.

Tonight I’m the spark
but no way to know
where this bullet will fly

if this shot will count.

Awards and Accolades

“Thomson’s fast-moving verse captures the night’s excitement….An innovative peek into the many small moments that led up to the American Revolution.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Readers are taken on a perilous journey from Boston to the impending “shot heard ‘round the world” at Lexington and Concord. Along the way, readers will meet regular citizens, enslaved men, and notable names from American history….Gripping art and effective text place readers in the middle of this dramatic night in ­American history.”
—School Library Journal

“The poetic prose makes this book an excellent read-aloud. Children will be enthralled by the illustrations and the language.”
–Youth Services Book Review