The Secret of Sarah Revere - Hardcover

Rinaldi, Ann

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0152003932 ISBN 13: 9780152003937

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1995

Synopsis

Spunky thirteen-year-old Sarah Revere, the daughter of famous Patriot Paul Revere, fears that her father's friend, Dr. Joseph Warren, has dishonorable feelings for her mother and witnesses her father's part in the fight for independence.

About this title

About the Author

ANN RINALDI is an award-winning author best known for bringing history vividly to life. A self-made writer and newspaper columnist for twenty-one years, Ms. Rinaldi attributes her interest in history to her son, who enlisted her to take part in historical reenactments up and down the East Coast. She lives with her husband in central New Jersey. 

Reviews

Grade 7-10?Once again Rinaldi has given readers a young woman's perceptions of what has too often been the all-male story of American history and politics. Paul Revere comes to life through the eyes and voice of Sarah, his 13-year-old daughter. Through the girl's observations, her father emerges as a family man, a caring friend, and a loyal patriot. Dr. Joseph Warren, an often forgotten hero of the Revolution, is warmly portrayed, as is Rachel, Revere's second wife. As Sarah comes of age against the strife of the times, she weaves critical events of American history into the everyday details of her family's life, making the characters convincing as real people. She is interested in clothing, food, and her older sister's romantic liaison, and has her own reverential crush on the handsome Dr. Warren. Because her father's activities take their toll on the family, she is also keenly aware of political and military events and secrets. Her analyses of them are painful but beautifully crafted, giving readers a sense of and a sensitivity to this period of history. The brief bibliography offers evidence of Rinaldi's scholarship, and her note discusses the process whereby she validates available historical facts but goes beyond them to interpret and draw her own conclusions in composing historical fiction.?Kay E. Vandergrift, School of Communication, Information and Library Studies, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 7-10. When a man comes to interview her father, Paul Revere, Sarah recalls the eventful past two years. Historically significant goings-on, such as the Boston Tea Party and her father's famous rides, intertwine with the personal, including Sarah's wondering whether her father's new wife is betraying him with another patriot. Sarah's growth into womanhood complicates matters even further. Rinaldi's depiction of daily life in Boston rings true (readers may think twice before drinking tea), and, for the most part, her dialogue remains free of anachronistic expressions. Her technique of framing the story within Sarah's recollections creates some initial confusion, but the swift pace and credible characters combined with impeccable research make the novel an involving and informative venture into history. Susan Dove Lempke

Edition details

• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
• Publication date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0152003932
• ISBN 13: 9780152003937
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 336