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Who Was . . . ? Series
Who Was Paul Revere?
In 1775, Paul Revere of Boston made his now-famous horseback ride warning colonists of an impending attack by the British. This event went largely unnoticed in history until Longfellow celebrated it in a poem in 1861. So who was Paul Revere? In addition to being an American patriot, he was a skilled silversmith and made false teeth from hippo tusks! This biography, with black-and-white illustrations throughout, brings to life Paul Revere's thrilling ride as well as the personal side of the man and the exciting times in which he lived.
112 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2011
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623 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
October 17, 2025
Who Was…? biography series for middle grade fascinates with the story of Paul Revere who was a famous American patriot.
Paul Revere (1734-1818) was born in Boston. He was bright and full of energy. His father was a very good silversmith and taught his son the trade. Paul was only nineteen when his father died, and took over the shop.
He married in 1757 and had eight children. When his first wife died, he remarried and had eight more children.
Paul became a very good silversmith. He made whatever his customers wanted, including a silver chain for a pet squirrel or a silver whistle for a child. He even taught himself how to make false teeth.
He was hardworking but he also like the company of friends. After work, he often headed to a tavern where he talked about politics with his friends. He became a member of a few men’s groups. One group opposed taxes imposed by the government in England.
In 1765, the Stamp Act was passed in England, putting stamp requirement on many goods. That got Paul pretty angry. He joined secret group called the Sons of Liberty. Paul designed a medal for all the members. They marched through Boston protesting. It worked. The Stamp Act was over.
Two years later, new taxes were announced on glass, paper, paint, and tea. This put Paul and the other Sons of Liberty into work again. They asked people to stop buying things from England. Letters were sent to other colonies.
This time the king of England didn’t bend. Instead, he sent ships to the harbor of Boston as warning for the Bostonians to behave.
However, an event on March 5, 1770, led to Boston Massacre. Paul made an engraving of the event showing many details. Afterwards, the tax was lifted except a very small tax on tea.
When three ships arrived from England carrying tea, the Sons of Liberty decided that no one would by the tea. They came up with a secret plan to hold a very special tea party. On December 16, 1773, they dumped ten thousand pounds of tea into Boston Harbor.
Afterwards, Paul became the messenger between colonies, delivering news to NYC and Philadelphia about events in Boston. This brought the colonies closer together, uniting against the king of England.
Those events led to the American Revolution on April 19 – ending war in 1781.
Paul was forty-eight when thirteen colonies became the United States.
After the war, Paul opened a foundry making hammers, anvils, stoves, bells and more. Then, he built a copper mill. The Revere Copper Company is still in business today.
He died at eighty-three having more than fifty grandchildren.
This biography demonstrates a man who took actions over just words. He was active in discussions during which decisions were made by many and agreed upon. Then, actions were taken. He was passionate about the cause he took part in, and did it until the country became independent. It wasn’t just the talk. It was the actions that made him the famous patriot.
This illustrated biography for young readers, ages 8-10, is presented in a relatable way, with simple sentences, and insightful inserts.
Paul Revere (1734-1818) was born in Boston. He was bright and full of energy. His father was a very good silversmith and taught his son the trade. Paul was only nineteen when his father died, and took over the shop.
He married in 1757 and had eight children. When his first wife died, he remarried and had eight more children.
Paul became a very good silversmith. He made whatever his customers wanted, including a silver chain for a pet squirrel or a silver whistle for a child. He even taught himself how to make false teeth.
He was hardworking but he also like the company of friends. After work, he often headed to a tavern where he talked about politics with his friends. He became a member of a few men’s groups. One group opposed taxes imposed by the government in England.
In 1765, the Stamp Act was passed in England, putting stamp requirement on many goods. That got Paul pretty angry. He joined secret group called the Sons of Liberty. Paul designed a medal for all the members. They marched through Boston protesting. It worked. The Stamp Act was over.
Two years later, new taxes were announced on glass, paper, paint, and tea. This put Paul and the other Sons of Liberty into work again. They asked people to stop buying things from England. Letters were sent to other colonies.
This time the king of England didn’t bend. Instead, he sent ships to the harbor of Boston as warning for the Bostonians to behave.
However, an event on March 5, 1770, led to Boston Massacre. Paul made an engraving of the event showing many details. Afterwards, the tax was lifted except a very small tax on tea.
When three ships arrived from England carrying tea, the Sons of Liberty decided that no one would by the tea. They came up with a secret plan to hold a very special tea party. On December 16, 1773, they dumped ten thousand pounds of tea into Boston Harbor.
Afterwards, Paul became the messenger between colonies, delivering news to NYC and Philadelphia about events in Boston. This brought the colonies closer together, uniting against the king of England.
Those events led to the American Revolution on April 19 – ending war in 1781.
Paul was forty-eight when thirteen colonies became the United States.
After the war, Paul opened a foundry making hammers, anvils, stoves, bells and more. Then, he built a copper mill. The Revere Copper Company is still in business today.
He died at eighty-three having more than fifty grandchildren.
This biography demonstrates a man who took actions over just words. He was active in discussions during which decisions were made by many and agreed upon. Then, actions were taken. He was passionate about the cause he took part in, and did it until the country became independent. It wasn’t just the talk. It was the actions that made him the famous patriot.
This illustrated biography for young readers, ages 8-10, is presented in a relatable way, with simple sentences, and insightful inserts.
March 26, 2021
Who Was Paul Revere? by Roberta Edwards is one of the award winning "Who Was..." series; this series is targeted for younger readers but is also interesting for older readers as well and contains black and white artwork throughout; this book was illustrated by Nancy Harrison and John O'Brien. In 1775, Paul Revere of Boston made his famous horseback ride to warn colonists of an impending attack by the British. This event was turned into a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1861. So who was Paul Revere? According to the author he was an American patriot, as well as a skilled silversmith and also fashioned items out of iron and other metals that he sold; he is also known to have made false teeth from hippo tusks! Some of the companies he started are still in business today.
This biography, with black-and-white illustrations throughout, provides the background and brings to life Paul Revere's thrilling ride as well as showing the personal side of the man and the exciting times in which he lived.
This biography, with black-and-white illustrations throughout, provides the background and brings to life Paul Revere's thrilling ride as well as showing the personal side of the man and the exciting times in which he lived.
June 12, 2018
I think the character trait is love. It is because he loved his town enough to help protect it from the redcoats.
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May 5, 2023I read this book because I am learning about it in school. This taught me about the Boston Masseuse and the Boston Tea Party but most importantly it taught me why and how Paul Revere was famous and why.
July 25, 2017
My daughter and I decided to read the Who Was/Who Is series; this is the first one I read. I like that this series is a quick way to learn a little more about people in history. Something interesting I learned is that Paul Revere fathered 16 children and had over 50 grandkids!!
July 15, 2018
"Who Was Paul Revere" by Roberta Edwards is all about Paul Revere's life from his birth to his death. This book talks about his life as a silversmith and helping his father. The book also talks about his daring ride past the British soldiers that were guarding Boston. It also talks about Paul Revere's life with his children and grandchildren. It also explains what happened after he was captured by British soldiers.
September 8, 2017
Summary:
This chapter book is about just what the title says "Who was Paul Revere?"; it tells the story of Paul's early life, and tells the story of how he's become an American hero. This story discusses some of the events that led up to the American Revolution, and how Revere was tied into those significant events. It explains his significance during this time, and what actions made him famous.
Evaluation:
This book is a fantastic way to read the biography of Paul Revere. The book was factual, interesting, and was able to keep my attention. Throughout the book, there are entertaining illustrations and small excerpts of information about different topics discussed in the book. For example, the fur trade, taverns, John Hancock, and Samuel Adams all have an excerpt of information. The author, Roberta Edwards seemed very knowledgeable about this topic and provided several sources for the facts she discussed. Overall, this book was a very creative and fun way to learn about the man Paul Revere was.
Teaching Idea:
This would be an awesome resource to use when teaching students about the American Revolution and the different figures involved in making the revolution an event in our history. Not only does the book provide great facts about Paul Revere, it also discusses key events throughout the American Revolution time period. Older grades could be given this book as a reading requirement while learning about the American Revolution in Social Studies.
This chapter book is about just what the title says "Who was Paul Revere?"; it tells the story of Paul's early life, and tells the story of how he's become an American hero. This story discusses some of the events that led up to the American Revolution, and how Revere was tied into those significant events. It explains his significance during this time, and what actions made him famous.
Evaluation:
This book is a fantastic way to read the biography of Paul Revere. The book was factual, interesting, and was able to keep my attention. Throughout the book, there are entertaining illustrations and small excerpts of information about different topics discussed in the book. For example, the fur trade, taverns, John Hancock, and Samuel Adams all have an excerpt of information. The author, Roberta Edwards seemed very knowledgeable about this topic and provided several sources for the facts she discussed. Overall, this book was a very creative and fun way to learn about the man Paul Revere was.
Teaching Idea:
This would be an awesome resource to use when teaching students about the American Revolution and the different figures involved in making the revolution an event in our history. Not only does the book provide great facts about Paul Revere, it also discusses key events throughout the American Revolution time period. Older grades could be given this book as a reading requirement while learning about the American Revolution in Social Studies.
June 26, 2017
I've been reading a lot of these books lately and for some reason this was one of the least memorable. In fact, I forgot that I read it altogether and I only read it about a week ago. There wasn't a lot of of "whoa!" moments in this story.
What's cool is that Paul took over his father's business and supported his family when his dad passed away. He was brilliant at copying sketches onto silver. He had a good mind for business. Later in his life he saw that American's needed to have their own iron works. He opened a foundry for cast iron. Many of the bells he made their are still ringing in Boston. He also learned how to make copper sheeting and it's on some of the buildings. He was smart and dedicated.
He was speedy on a horse and that's why he was chosen to deliver the message that made him famous and he actually wasn't even famous until Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote a poem about him. The poem was based in fact but some of it was made up and a lot of those legends have lived on.
What's cool is that Paul took over his father's business and supported his family when his dad passed away. He was brilliant at copying sketches onto silver. He had a good mind for business. Later in his life he saw that American's needed to have their own iron works. He opened a foundry for cast iron. Many of the bells he made their are still ringing in Boston. He also learned how to make copper sheeting and it's on some of the buildings. He was smart and dedicated.
He was speedy on a horse and that's why he was chosen to deliver the message that made him famous and he actually wasn't even famous until Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote a poem about him. The poem was based in fact but some of it was made up and a lot of those legends have lived on.
September 16, 2023
Eve is all of a sudden obsessed with these books. She’s always preferred non fiction, but has realized she especially loves biographies. She read George Washington quickly, so I got her a bunch more. I wanted to read this one to see how accurate they are before handing them all off to her. This did address the Longfellow poem and its inaccuracies, as well as described, in the perfect amount of detail, what his actual role was in the war and informing other colonists of dangers. It’s not a perfect book, but it’s fun and accessible for her age, so I’ll encourage more reading!
I also liked that it revisited some events that were in the Washington book (which I read part of- and Eve summarize the rest to me). It gave more context for the Stamp and Tea Acts as well as the Boston Tea Party without being too repetitive. I think she’ll get a good understanding of the era after a few of these bios.
I also liked that it revisited some events that were in the Washington book (which I read part of- and Eve summarize the rest to me). It gave more context for the Stamp and Tea Acts as well as the Boston Tea Party without being too repetitive. I think she’ll get a good understanding of the era after a few of these bios.
October 23, 2019
The Kiddo brought this home from the school library.
This was a nice overview of Revere's life, without excessive emphasis on the "Midnight Ride", and with some good, easy-to-follow background on the Revolutionary War era in general.
The Kiddo found a lot of connections here to places he's been and to things he's learned about at school, and by the time we were done, he was asking for me to take him to see the Freedom Trail for a day next time we're in Boston. Not a bad result for a book that had to distill a lot of facts down to a manageable length for the intended reading level.
This was a nice overview of Revere's life, without excessive emphasis on the "Midnight Ride", and with some good, easy-to-follow background on the Revolutionary War era in general.
The Kiddo found a lot of connections here to places he's been and to things he's learned about at school, and by the time we were done, he was asking for me to take him to see the Freedom Trail for a day next time we're in Boston. Not a bad result for a book that had to distill a lot of facts down to a manageable length for the intended reading level.
April 28, 2021
This book was a very information book. I enjoyed this book a lot what i liked the best was the it went into good detail like his family where he lived stuff like that but it was to informational sometime because it was to much information.Why I think someone should read this book is that it is a very good information about are American history and you lean about how we became america. What i would change about the book is it would tell the reader more about Paul Revere life after his ride.
June 15, 2022
Biography
Grade Level: 3-6
I love early American history, and this biography about Paul Revere does not disappoint. Like the rest of the books in this series, this is a full of interesting facts and details about Paul's life. I also appreciated the little "tidbits" included like the importance of the teapot and the tavern in colonial America. This would be a great research companion for a young student wanting to learn more about Paul Revere and his fight for American independence.
Grade Level: 3-6
I love early American history, and this biography about Paul Revere does not disappoint. Like the rest of the books in this series, this is a full of interesting facts and details about Paul's life. I also appreciated the little "tidbits" included like the importance of the teapot and the tavern in colonial America. This would be a great research companion for a young student wanting to learn more about Paul Revere and his fight for American independence.
Read
May 12, 2024“Who Was Paul Revere?” is a biography written by Roberta Edwards. It is in the genre of historical non-fiction and shows Revere’s contributions to American history. It also reflects on his upbringing, how he was a silversmith as well as his role in the American Revolution and the famous midnight ride. It also shows the growing conflict between the Americans and the British. This is an entertaining story that anyone would enjoy.
October 31, 2024
This book was really great. It spoke in detail of the timeline of events during the time the United States was trying to break off from Britain. In an interesting, short fashion, the reader is informed of the events leading up to Paul Revere’s run and how he was memorialized for his great actions for te better meant of the United States of America. A beautiful account of Mr. Revere’s heroism. I recommend it for anyone of any age who loves history.
who-hq
May 7, 2020From Boston. Messenger and spy who passed messages between colonies as they organized resistance. Warned Samuel Adams and John Hancock of pending British attack at Lexington, but was stopped by British soldiers before making it to Concord. Originally a silversmith, he manufactured iron and cooper items after the Revolutionary War, including the cooper dome for the Massachusetts State House and New York City Hall. His midnight ride became famous after a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
May 25, 2021
Paul Revere was not famous after his death but became famous due to a poem about his midnight ride. He helped to stir the colonists into helping with the revolution. He was a messenger when it was most needed. This book tells his story in a fast paced and fact filled method. It is well worth the read.
April 13, 2022
This book was really informational! I finished it the night before we went on the freedom trail. It was awesome in Boston, and the book really helped! It didn’t actually take me this long to read the book, I got it on the 3rd and read like 1 page, then actually read it a few days later and it took around 2 days. Definitely recommend!
Happy reading! 📖✨
Happy reading! 📖✨
March 16, 2018
I knew a little about Paul Revere, and this book filled in some of the missing details. It was also a great overview of the events in Boston leading the Battle of Lexington that started the Revolution.
September 30, 2019
I never knew anything about Paul Revere before this. I just thought he was the guy who ran on his horse and said, "THE BRITISH ARE COMING!" Apparently, that's not what he's also famous for. So this book helped me figure out who he was. I'm very glad for it. 9/10.
May 28, 2020
Great History Book
Great History Book. My son and I learned much about history and events leading up to the Civil War. We are looking forward to reading other books pertaining to the history of our nation.
Great History Book. My son and I learned much about history and events leading up to the Civil War. We are looking forward to reading other books pertaining to the history of our nation.
July 25, 2022
I have always wanted to learn about Paul Revere and I always love the books in this series so I thought it would be the perfect way to learn about him. He has done much more than just his famous ride. He is an important American patriot as well as a father, silversmith, and more.
July 14, 2017
Very interesting book. I never knew that the only reason Paul Revere is famous was from a poem that was written 50 years after he died. Additionally the poem was not accurate!
April 9, 2018
It was good .Paul liked horses 🐎 back riding like me.
April 30, 2018
Good non-fiction source for elementary students. It's high interest/low readability keep even my struggling readers engaged.
May 22, 2018
Well I definitely learned something new. Lots of somethings.
September 14, 2018
I learned so much about Paul other than just about his midnight ride. Very educational.
April 2, 2019
The narrative language makes these biographies great for kids. The illustrations are always appreciated by my 4th grader.
June 27, 2020
Reviewed for Heartland school
November 12, 2020
I love this series!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews