{"id":6538210508879,"title":"Why Longfellow Lied","handle":"why-longfellow-lied","description":"\u003ch6\u003ePaperback edition coming September 3, 2024. Pre-order today!\u003c\/h6\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: large;\" size=\"4\"\u003eWhy Longfellow Lied\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\" size=\"3\"\u003eThe Truth About Paul Revere's Midnight Ride\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/jeff-lantos\"\u003eJeff Lantos\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eListen, my children, and you shall hear . . .\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaul Revere's heroic midnight ride saved the day and made him an instant celebrity, right? Wrong! At first, no one in Boston even wanted to mention it.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e So why did Longfellow write such a glowing account of Paul Revere, almost 100 years after the fact?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJeff Lantos pulls apart Longfellow's famous poem \"Paul Revere's Ride\" to unravel how and why he twisted historical facts. This is Steve Sheinkin for the younger set, complete with an American mystery and a look at two important moments in the history of our country.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these: \u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/the-great-molasses-flood\"\u003eThe Great Molasses Flood\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/the-white-house-is-burning\"\u003eThe White House is Burning\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/white-house-kids\"\u003eWhite House Kids\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/why-longfellow-lied-spread.jpg?v=1614713374\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" class=\"cvr-border-gray\" data-mce-style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript type=\"text\/javascript\" async=\"\" defer data-pin-shape=\"round\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"medium-cover\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/why-longfellow-lied-cover.jpg?v=1614713372\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"product-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/why-longfellow-lied-cover-hires.jpg.zip?v=1614713372\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJeff Lantos, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJeff Lantos is a fifth-grade teacher in Pacific Palisades, California, where he often writes history-based musicals for his students to perform. A UCLA study showed that his students' retention of history is higher than their peers. He was nominated for a 2015 Excellence in Theatre Education Award from the Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University. He holds a degree from Brown University and has worked producing musicals on Broadway. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eWhy Longfellow Lied\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is his first book.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/jeff-lantos\"\u003eRead more \u003c\/a\u003eabout Jeff.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cspan\u003eA 2022 NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies book\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA 2022 ILA Honor Book\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cimg src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/star-fade.gif?4673889858015672850\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlmost 100 years after Paul Revere’s ride, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote his famous poem. When he penned it, Revere’s ride was barely a footnote to history. Since Longfellow was already a famous poet, his narrative, whether true or not, would frame the soon-to-be-famous story. Educator Lantos uses his teaching skills to work his way through the jaunty verse, analyzing both why the poem works so well and how Longfellow didn’t always stick by the facts. The possible reasons for this are numerous. Sometimes the story bogged down in unfortunate details, such as the abrupt end of Revere’s ride when he was captured by the British before reaching Concord, Massachusetts. Other times, Longfellow exercised poetic license to slow the narrative and enhance suspense, or left out unneeded details to pick up the pace. In addition to his engaging conversational narrative, Lantos includes maps, photographs, and wonderful, brief callout boxes with fascinating historical details, conveying all in a delightful underlying tone of mildly ironic humor that’s just right. Outstanding backmatter rounds out this first-rate presentation of a story that many Americans wrongly believe they know very well. At the same time, Longfellow’s poem remains the star of the show, his tale enriched by the accompanying backstory. This work displays all the qualities of excellence that children deserve. Exemplary myth-busting with appeal that spans audiences from children to adults.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cimg src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/star-fade.gif?4673889858015672850\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eBooklist\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere’s the bad news: Longfellow’s famous poem “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere” is riddled with inaccuracies. The good news is that Lantos’ new book meticulously breaks down the actual events on April 18 and 19, 1775, and discusses how they differ from the poetic version. This is not the first book to point out the poem’s shortcomings, but it’s surely the most comprehensive attempt to set the historical record straight for young readers, while explaining why the poet changed the facts in order to reach and inspire his audience. First published a few months before the attack on Fort Sumter, the poem helped galvanize Northern citizens to risk their lives to preserve the country that their ancestors had fought to create 85 years earlier. The poem “was aimed at the heart. It was a call to action. And it worked.” The book’s illustrations, reproduced in color, include period prints, paintings, and maps as well as more recent photos of historic sites. Extensive notes and bibliographic sources are appended. A retired teacher with a talent for delivering historical content by writing and directing musical plays enacted by his fifth-grade students, Lantos knows his audience and writes with an engaging tone. A refreshing approach to American history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA deeper look at Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1860 poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” that examines the narrative told by the poem and how it compares to the actual events of that fateful night in American history. The author’s approach to this historical comparison is especially accessible to high school students. Call-out boxes throughout provide readers with extra details related to the events of Revere’s 1775 ride as well as make the story richer and give readers a bevy of unique connections to the simpler history they likely learned in the classroom. Perhaps the most impactful part of this book is the situating of Longfellow’s work in the historical context as a call for national unity in the days leading up to the Civil War. As the author mentions, this important note of the poem has been lost in the decades immediately following its publication so this work serves a great purpose to remind readers of that. Overall, Lantos gives Longfellow a reprieve in his reimagining of Revere’s midnight ride due to the important message Longfellow was trying to relay to the American public. VERDICT A well-done and easily approachable work for young people to learn not only about a piece of American Revolutionary history but how historical narratives can be used to shape future events.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-58089-933-8\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaperback\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-62354-498-0\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 8–12\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 160\u003cbr\u003e7 \u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\/\u003csub\u003e2 \u003c\/sub\u003ex 10\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePublication date: August 3, 2021\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]","published_at":"2021-04-06T16:29:55-04:00","created_at":"2021-03-04T16:23:11-05:00","vendor":"Charlesbridge","type":"Children's Book","tags":["Browse by Age_Ages 6-10","Browse by Age_Middle Grade","Browse by Fiction\/Nonfiction_Nonfiction","Browse by Language_English","Browse by Subject_Art\/Music\/Theater","Browse by Subject_History \u0026 Biography","Browse by Subject_Social Studies\/Cultures"],"price":1599,"price_min":1599,"price_max":1899,"available":true,"price_varies":true,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":39255908548687,"title":"Hardcover","option1":"Hardcover","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"99338","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":{"id":27944626159695,"product_id":6538210508879,"position":1,"created_at":"2021-03-04T16:29:53-05:00","updated_at":"2021-03-04T16:29:53-05:00","alt":null,"width":540,"height":720,"src":"\/\/www.imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/why-longfellow-lied-cover.jpg?v=1614893393","variant_ids":[39255908548687,45359318532333]},"available":true,"name":"Why Longfellow Lied - Hardcover","public_title":"Hardcover","options":["Hardcover"],"price":1899,"weight":369,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_quantity":10,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"continue","barcode":"9781580899338","featured_media":{"alt":null,"id":20318743724111,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.75,"height":720,"width":540,"src":"\/\/www.imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/why-longfellow-lied-cover.jpg?v=1614893393"}},"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":45359318532333,"title":"Paperback","option1":"Paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"44980","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":{"id":27944626159695,"product_id":6538210508879,"position":1,"created_at":"2021-03-04T16:29:53-05:00","updated_at":"2021-03-04T16:29:53-05:00","alt":null,"width":540,"height":720,"src":"\/\/www.imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/why-longfellow-lied-cover.jpg?v=1614893393","variant_ids":[39255908548687,45359318532333]},"available":true,"name":"Why Longfellow Lied - Paperback","public_title":"Paperback","options":["Paperback"],"price":1599,"weight":369,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_quantity":0,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"continue","barcode":"9781623544980","featured_media":{"alt":null,"id":20318743724111,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.75,"height":720,"width":540,"src":"\/\/www.imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/why-longfellow-lied-cover.jpg?v=1614893393"}},"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/why-longfellow-lied-cover.jpg?v=1614893393"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/why-longfellow-lied-cover.jpg?v=1614893393","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":20318743724111,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.75,"height":720,"width":540,"src":"\/\/www.imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/why-longfellow-lied-cover.jpg?v=1614893393"},"aspect_ratio":0.75,"height":720,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/why-longfellow-lied-cover.jpg?v=1614893393","width":540}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003ch6\u003ePaperback edition coming September 3, 2024. Pre-order today!\u003c\/h6\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: large;\" size=\"4\"\u003eWhy Longfellow Lied\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\" size=\"3\"\u003eThe Truth About Paul Revere's Midnight Ride\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/jeff-lantos\"\u003eJeff Lantos\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eListen, my children, and you shall hear . . .\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaul Revere's heroic midnight ride saved the day and made him an instant celebrity, right? Wrong! At first, no one in Boston even wanted to mention it.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e So why did Longfellow write such a glowing account of Paul Revere, almost 100 years after the fact?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJeff Lantos pulls apart Longfellow's famous poem \"Paul Revere's Ride\" to unravel how and why he twisted historical facts. This is Steve Sheinkin for the younger set, complete with an American mystery and a look at two important moments in the history of our country.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these: \u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/the-great-molasses-flood\"\u003eThe Great Molasses Flood\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/the-white-house-is-burning\"\u003eThe White House is Burning\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/white-house-kids\"\u003eWhite House Kids\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/why-longfellow-lied-spread.jpg?v=1614713374\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" class=\"cvr-border-gray\" data-mce-style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript type=\"text\/javascript\" async=\"\" defer data-pin-shape=\"round\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"medium-cover\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/why-longfellow-lied-cover.jpg?v=1614713372\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"product-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/why-longfellow-lied-cover-hires.jpg.zip?v=1614713372\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJeff Lantos, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJeff Lantos is a fifth-grade teacher in Pacific Palisades, California, where he often writes history-based musicals for his students to perform. A UCLA study showed that his students' retention of history is higher than their peers. He was nominated for a 2015 Excellence in Theatre Education Award from the Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University. He holds a degree from Brown University and has worked producing musicals on Broadway. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eWhy Longfellow Lied\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is his first book.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/jeff-lantos\"\u003eRead more \u003c\/a\u003eabout Jeff.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cspan\u003eA 2022 NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies book\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA 2022 ILA Honor Book\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cimg src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/star-fade.gif?4673889858015672850\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlmost 100 years after Paul Revere’s ride, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote his famous poem. When he penned it, Revere’s ride was barely a footnote to history. Since Longfellow was already a famous poet, his narrative, whether true or not, would frame the soon-to-be-famous story. Educator Lantos uses his teaching skills to work his way through the jaunty verse, analyzing both why the poem works so well and how Longfellow didn’t always stick by the facts. The possible reasons for this are numerous. Sometimes the story bogged down in unfortunate details, such as the abrupt end of Revere’s ride when he was captured by the British before reaching Concord, Massachusetts. Other times, Longfellow exercised poetic license to slow the narrative and enhance suspense, or left out unneeded details to pick up the pace. In addition to his engaging conversational narrative, Lantos includes maps, photographs, and wonderful, brief callout boxes with fascinating historical details, conveying all in a delightful underlying tone of mildly ironic humor that’s just right. Outstanding backmatter rounds out this first-rate presentation of a story that many Americans wrongly believe they know very well. At the same time, Longfellow’s poem remains the star of the show, his tale enriched by the accompanying backstory. This work displays all the qualities of excellence that children deserve. Exemplary myth-busting with appeal that spans audiences from children to adults.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cimg src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/star-fade.gif?4673889858015672850\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eBooklist\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere’s the bad news: Longfellow’s famous poem “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere” is riddled with inaccuracies. The good news is that Lantos’ new book meticulously breaks down the actual events on April 18 and 19, 1775, and discusses how they differ from the poetic version. This is not the first book to point out the poem’s shortcomings, but it’s surely the most comprehensive attempt to set the historical record straight for young readers, while explaining why the poet changed the facts in order to reach and inspire his audience. First published a few months before the attack on Fort Sumter, the poem helped galvanize Northern citizens to risk their lives to preserve the country that their ancestors had fought to create 85 years earlier. The poem “was aimed at the heart. It was a call to action. And it worked.” The book’s illustrations, reproduced in color, include period prints, paintings, and maps as well as more recent photos of historic sites. Extensive notes and bibliographic sources are appended. A retired teacher with a talent for delivering historical content by writing and directing musical plays enacted by his fifth-grade students, Lantos knows his audience and writes with an engaging tone. A refreshing approach to American history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA deeper look at Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1860 poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” that examines the narrative told by the poem and how it compares to the actual events of that fateful night in American history. The author’s approach to this historical comparison is especially accessible to high school students. Call-out boxes throughout provide readers with extra details related to the events of Revere’s 1775 ride as well as make the story richer and give readers a bevy of unique connections to the simpler history they likely learned in the classroom. Perhaps the most impactful part of this book is the situating of Longfellow’s work in the historical context as a call for national unity in the days leading up to the Civil War. As the author mentions, this important note of the poem has been lost in the decades immediately following its publication so this work serves a great purpose to remind readers of that. Overall, Lantos gives Longfellow a reprieve in his reimagining of Revere’s midnight ride due to the important message Longfellow was trying to relay to the American public. VERDICT A well-done and easily approachable work for young people to learn not only about a piece of American Revolutionary history but how historical narratives can be used to shape future events.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-58089-933-8\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaperback\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-62354-498-0\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 8–12\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 160\u003cbr\u003e7 \u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\/\u003csub\u003e2 \u003c\/sub\u003ex 10\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePublication date: August 3, 2021\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]"}

Why Longfellow Lied

Paperback edition coming September 3, 2024. Pre-order today!

Why Longfellow Lied
The Truth About Paul Revere's Midnight Ride

By: Jeff Lantos

Listen, my children, and you shall hear . . .

Paul Revere's heroic midnight ride saved the day and made him an instant celebrity, right? Wrong! At first, no one in Boston even wanted to mention it. So why did Longfellow write such a glowing account of Paul Revere, almost 100 years after the fact?

Jeff Lantos pulls apart Longfellow's famous poem "Paul Revere's Ride" to unravel how and why he twisted historical facts. This is Steve Sheinkin for the younger set, complete with an American mystery and a look at two important moments in the history of our country. 

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Jeff Lantos, author

Jeff Lantos is a fifth-grade teacher in Pacific Palisades, California, where he often writes history-based musicals for his students to perform. A UCLA study showed that his students' retention of history is higher than their peers. He was nominated for a 2015 Excellence in Theatre Education Award from the Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University. He holds a degree from Brown University and has worked producing musicals on Broadway. Why Longfellow Lied is his first book.

Read more about Jeff.

  • A 2022 NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies book
  • A 2022 ILA Honor Book

Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Almost 100 years after Paul Revere’s ride, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote his famous poem. When he penned it, Revere’s ride was barely a footnote to history. Since Longfellow was already a famous poet, his narrative, whether true or not, would frame the soon-to-be-famous story. Educator Lantos uses his teaching skills to work his way through the jaunty verse, analyzing both why the poem works so well and how Longfellow didn’t always stick by the facts. The possible reasons for this are numerous. Sometimes the story bogged down in unfortunate details, such as the abrupt end of Revere’s ride when he was captured by the British before reaching Concord, Massachusetts. Other times, Longfellow exercised poetic license to slow the narrative and enhance suspense, or left out unneeded details to pick up the pace. In addition to his engaging conversational narrative, Lantos includes maps, photographs, and wonderful, brief callout boxes with fascinating historical details, conveying all in a delightful underlying tone of mildly ironic humor that’s just right. Outstanding backmatter rounds out this first-rate presentation of a story that many Americans wrongly believe they know very well. At the same time, Longfellow’s poem remains the star of the show, his tale enriched by the accompanying backstory. This work displays all the qualities of excellence that children deserve. Exemplary myth-busting with appeal that spans audiences from children to adults.

Booklist, starred review

Here’s the bad news: Longfellow’s famous poem “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere” is riddled with inaccuracies. The good news is that Lantos’ new book meticulously breaks down the actual events on April 18 and 19, 1775, and discusses how they differ from the poetic version. This is not the first book to point out the poem’s shortcomings, but it’s surely the most comprehensive attempt to set the historical record straight for young readers, while explaining why the poet changed the facts in order to reach and inspire his audience. First published a few months before the attack on Fort Sumter, the poem helped galvanize Northern citizens to risk their lives to preserve the country that their ancestors had fought to create 85 years earlier. The poem “was aimed at the heart. It was a call to action. And it worked.” The book’s illustrations, reproduced in color, include period prints, paintings, and maps as well as more recent photos of historic sites. Extensive notes and bibliographic sources are appended. A retired teacher with a talent for delivering historical content by writing and directing musical plays enacted by his fifth-grade students, Lantos knows his audience and writes with an engaging tone. A refreshing approach to American history.

School Library Journal

A deeper look at Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1860 poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” that examines the narrative told by the poem and how it compares to the actual events of that fateful night in American history. The author’s approach to this historical comparison is especially accessible to high school students. Call-out boxes throughout provide readers with extra details related to the events of Revere’s 1775 ride as well as make the story richer and give readers a bevy of unique connections to the simpler history they likely learned in the classroom. Perhaps the most impactful part of this book is the situating of Longfellow’s work in the historical context as a call for national unity in the days leading up to the Civil War. As the author mentions, this important note of the poem has been lost in the decades immediately following its publication so this work serves a great purpose to remind readers of that. Overall, Lantos gives Longfellow a reprieve in his reimagining of Revere’s midnight ride due to the important message Longfellow was trying to relay to the American public. VERDICT A well-done and easily approachable work for young people to learn not only about a piece of American Revolutionary history but how historical narratives can be used to shape future events.

Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-58089-933-8

Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-62354-498-0

Ages: 8–12
Page count: 160
1/x 10

Publication date: August 3, 2021