The British Are Coming (Young Reader Ed.) by Rick Atkinson

The British Are Coming recounts the first 4 years of the American Revolution in an engaging style, capturing substance and detail.

The British Are Coming (Young Reader Edition) by Rick Atkinson. Godwin Books (Henry Holt), 2022, 189 pages plus appendices

Reading Level: Teen, ages 12-15

Recommended for: ages 12-up

“I am very much hurt,” wrote King George III in response to a report of his American subjects dumping a shipment of tea into Boston Harbor. The king’s displeasure resulting inclosing the harbor, whereupon all the colonies from Massachusetts to Georgia rose in solidarity to support their Boston brethren. Events moved swiftly from there: a military governor appointed for Massachusetts, a gathering of a “Continental Congress,” a fiery speech from Patrick Henry, British soldiers massing in Boston, and a hail of bullets at Lexington and Concord. Finally, a bold “Declaration of Independence” from British rule by the upstart Americans signaled they were in for the long haul.

Rick Atkinson is a journalist and author of popular (as opposed to scholarly) history.  His account of the early years of the American Revolution (1773-1777) was published in 2020 for adult readers, and is the first of a proposed trilogy. This Young Reader edition pares a 700+ page narrative down to less than 200, with considerable sacrifice of detail but no loss in readability. He’s an engaging writer who manages to breathe life into historical figures with a few masterful strokes. His account is even-handed and free of “wokeness”—yes, George Washington was a slave-owner but that fact alone does not define his character or govern his actions.

American fortunes were at a low ebb by the end of 1777 (Valley Forge still to come), but the world was beginning to take notice. The British Are Coming makes the odds against these revolutionaries very clear, and should help readers appreciate what God wrought in their victory.

Overall Rating: 4

• Worldview/moral value:4
• Artistic/literary value: 4

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Also at Redeemed Reader

Reviews: The American Revolution (Guts & Glory #4) and The Thrifty Guide to the American Revolution are two chatty versions of the conflict written for ages 8-12. Another good choice for youngsters is The Revolutionary War, lavishly illustrated by military painter Mort Kuntsler.

Resource: See our starred reviews of two excellent comprehensive histories: American History by Thomas Kidd and Land of Hope by Wilfred McClay.

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