Month: April 2024

The Midnight Ride of Sybil Ludington

Edited with Afterlight Photo

“One if by land, two if by sea.” These famous words from the Longfellow poem immediately remind us of that famous ride of Paul Revere to warn that the British were coming. As a child I heard the story of that midnight ride and how important it was at a time when there weren’t phones or internet or any easy way to spread an emergency message.

Another rider also took off through the night, but her story doesn’t get told as often. On the night of April 26, 1777, young Sybil Ludington rode through the night to call the troops to fight the British at Danbury, CT (State Education Department 1935). Her historic ride covered nearly 40 miles through the Hudson Valley to tell the troops to meet her father in the morning to fight the British troops in nearby Danbury.

Growing up, I never heard of Sybil or her historic ride so I was captivated when my children came home from school years ago, sharing her story with me. This weekend marks the 247th anniversary of the Battle of Ridgefield and Sybil’s midnight ride so I thought I would share a few great books to learn more about this local heroine.

Sybil Ludington’s Midnight Ride (On My Own History) by Marsha Amstel

Sybil’s Night Ridge by Karen B. Winnick

Sybil Ludington: Revolutionary War Rider (Based on a True Story) by E. F. Abbott

For adult readers: Patriot Hero of the Hudson Valley: The Life and Ride of Sybil Ludington by Vincent T. Dacquino

I’ve mentioned before how transformative it can be for young readers when the story overlaps into their own world. Reading local history and being able to visit the locations can make the story feel more “real.” After reading the books above, there are several great local places to visit. There are statues and history markers nearby that recount Sibyl’s ride. Readers can visit the statues outside the Danbury library and in Carmel as well as historic markers in Ludingtonville and Carmel. We visited several locations and it put into perspective just how far this young heroine rode through the night and how important and brave she was.

Revisiting New Orleans…

Back in October, I read Paula Morris’ “Ruined” and I was immediately hooked. It had all the makings of the a great “spooky season” read….ghosts, New Orleans, history, a family curse, and New Orleans cemeteries. As I told a friend about the book, I looked it up online to check the author’s name and discovered there was a second book. It continued!

I’m always excited when the story continues and quickly ordered a copy of “Unbroken.” Rebecca returns to New Orleans with a friend from home to visit family and one friend, Anton. New Orleans without a ghost and a family curse should hopefully be less stressful until a mysterious boy shows up in New York asking for help in New Orleans.

While Rebecca tries to keep the ghost hidden, it isn’t as easy as it sounds. Talking to an invisible person draws attention to you. Rebecca has to share the news with her friend from home….she sees ghosts and one needs her help. Helping a ghost is never easy and other ghosts become angry and try to stop her.

Sometimes second books don’t live up to the first. It feels like a desperate attempt to continue a completed story. That was not the case here. The story continued. It flowed. It made sense. Rebecca and her dad visiting family in New Orleans was logical. The ghost that found her didn’t feel forced. The story took different turns than the first and while the characters and location were the same, it was definitely a new story that continued from the last book.

I would definitely recommend both “Ruined” and “Unbroken.” I could see the streets of New Orleans as I turned the pages and I really enjoyed both books. If you are looking for a ghost story that isn’t scary, but rather friends and enemies that span centuries, be sure to check these books out.