From Path to Highway: The Story of the Boston Post Road

by Gail Gibbons

A history of the Boston Post Road from its early days as a series of Indian trails to the present.

Genres: History, Picture Books, Nonfiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

From gailgibbons.com: I was born in Oak Park, Illinois, in 1944. Even as a little child, I was always busy putting books together. Sometimes I would bind them with yarn to hold the pages together. I've always loved drawing and painting. I was also a very curious child. My parents tell me that I was always asking lots and lots of questions.

Later, I went on to the University of Illinois, where I studied graphic design. Then I moved to New York City, where I got a job doing artwork for television shows. Eventually I was asked to do the artwork for a children's show. While doing that show, some of the children asked me if I had ever thought of doing children's books. My mind immediately recalled how much I enjoyed doing that type of thing when I was a child. So I put an idea for a book together and right away a publisher bought it. That book was called Willy and His Wheel Wagon. Since then, over 170 books that I have written and illustrated have been published. The type of books I write are non-fiction books. This is because I love researching so much. I get to ask lots of questions, just like when I was a kid. I also get to travel and meet lots of interesting people. While doing research for my book Nature's Green Umbrella: Tropical Rain Forests, I traveled to two islands where there are tropical rain forests, Saba and Dominica. I also had a great time writing and illustrating the book. I get a lot of pleasure from doing the type of work I do.

Reviews

[Joanne Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was charming. Although it was written in the 1980s, From Path to Highway organizes the history of an important highway into a narrative interesting for young readers. The subtext is that history is all around us, the world is always changing, and what seems dull can actually be intriguing. While the art's primitive style matches the text in the beginning of the book, I would have liked to see it evolve slightly as the author talked about more modern settings. It should be noted that the depictions of the tribes who occupied Massachusetts and New York did not feel as well researched as the rest of the text, and probably not in the illustrations. The last page is a kind of back matter noting famous travelers. All in all a nice addition for home or school. Evidently part of a series which I am eager to look into.

[John]

I like this book because the Boston Post Road, I think, includes Rt. 1, I mean, 1A, and most other roads, maybe. The Boston Post Road is one or two or maybe three split roads.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is likely interesting for any child who lives along the Post Road today.