Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2007 (Vol. 75, No. 17))
Known as "the messenger of the Revolution," Revere carried out many rides for the cause: to the seaports near Boston to alert residents that the British might try to unload their tea; to New York and Philadelphia to win support for Boston; to the First Continental Congress; to Lexington and Concord, as memorialized in the Longfellow poem of 1860; and to New England towns urging the raising of an army. Giblin packs a lot of information about the family man, businessman and patriot into a brief, attractive volume, illustrated with photographs and archival art. Clear, informative writing and an abundance of backmatter—information on Longfellow and his poem, a time line and a thorough list of historic sites to visit—are clearly meant to involve readers in further research. Useful, too, would have been a guide to other good books for young readers. Since the story of Paul Revere and the history of the American Revolution are so entwined, a short, concise volume such as this is a great starting place for young readers. (source notes, bibliography, map, index) 2007, Scholastic, 96p, $17.99. Category: Nonfiction. Ages 9 to 14. © 2007 Kirkus Reviews

Roxy Ekstrom (VOYA, October 2007 (Vol. 30, No. 4))
In fewer than one-hundred pages, this oversized biography of Paul Revere ably ambles through his life. Beginning with the arrival of Revere's father, Apollos Rivoire, in Boston, the reader paces through his early education and apprenticeship, walks through his family life, trots along during Revere's involvement with the Sons of Liberty, gallops through the famous midnight ride, and canters through his many business successes. A great deal of background information on the period is included, and the author makes good use of archival art to enhance the text. Every two-page spread has at least one illustration. One of the more interesting pieces is a copy of a bell ringer's agreement that Paul drew up when he was only fifteen. It shows that even then he was a shrewd businessman with beautiful penmanship. A nice touch is the inclusion of Longfellow's poem "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere," complete with an introduction and a brief comparison of the poem and the reality of the ride. Other back material includes a time line that would serve well as an overview of the book and a section on historic sites to visit in Boston, Charlestown, Lexington, and Concord. Although the publisher is marketing this book to grades three to eight, it does not have a babyish look. The conversational tone and many illustrations create a good overview of the 1770s in Boston, making it very useful in the classroom, especially for reluctant readers or history students. VOYA CODES: 4Q 3P M (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Will appeal with pushing; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8). 2007, Scholastic, 96p.; Index. Illus. Photos. Maps. Biblio. Source Notes. Chronology., $17.99. Ages 11 to 14.