To open this special edition of the classic narrative poem is to think for an instant that it’s possible to pick up the quill pen resting on the inside cover of what appears to be an album. A replica of a letter from Thomas Gage written on April 18, 1775, is actually pasted there. Like the Deposition of Paul Revere replicated on the inside back cover, the letter is ready to be unfolded. Before any words of the poem appear, readers also discover a plan for a secret expedition to Concord. The sturdy paper on which the poem finally appears, the semblance of antique objects, old paper and the artwork purporting to be engravings more than 200 years old all contribute to a memorable visual and tactile experience with language that actually has stood the test of time. (Ages 9–12)

Paintings of The midnight ride of Paul Revere & George Washington (Lansdowne portrait).