The Secret of Sarah Revere
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, NJCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.