I was so happy this year when I learned the Homeschool Review Crew would review for a repeat vendor, Adventures of Rush Revere #1 New York Times Bestselling Book Series by Rush and Kathryn Adams Limbaugh.
My husband and I have both wanted to read the Adventures of Rush Revere Book Series, and I was so glad to have the opportunity to volunteer to review this product!
I was especially happy to be considered in light of the fact that my busy student was not likely to read the books during the review period, and yet I was included on the review anyway! Thank you to Rush and Kathryn Adams Limbaugh et. al.
Exciting day! The box arrived! Our set of books, so beautifully presented!
I pulled the stack out of the box and admired the ribbon and the time and care that was taken to make this package special!
Then I untied the ribbon and began reading Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims.
The books in the series, in order, are as you see above:
- Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims;
- Rush Revere and the First Patriot;
- Rush Revere and the American Revolution;
- Rush Revere and the Star Spangled-Banner; and
- Rush Revere and the Presidency.
The series focuses on early American history. The interwoven theme is that Rush Revere is a history teacher who periodically serves as a substitute teacher for Mrs. Borrington's Honors History Class at Manchester Middle School. (Like the play on words? "Borring"ton/"Boring"ton... Heh! Heh!)
Rush Revere has a special mascot, a horse named Liberty. Liberty was once struck by lightning, and survived to find he could talk! He could time travel! He could make himself invisible when he holds his breath! And more!
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In Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims Mr. Revere initially sets up a special media system in the class to show a movie of the pilgrims in Holland. Rush actually fixes it so his phone camera is filming and sending a signal simultaneously of a time-travel trip he and Liberty take. Then he returns to present time and discusses the history with the class.
Later Mr. Revere includes classmates Tommy, the school football team's quarterback, and Freedom, a native American girl, in trips to the ship journeying to the new world, additional trips to the Plymouth Plantation, and finally to share in the first Thanksgiving. Through these journeys we meet many pilgrims, notably William Bradford and Miles Standish (who teaches Tommy how to sword fight), and Squanto and Massasoit.
This is an exciting way for the reader to experience history in a rich, vivid, living way! And Liberty is an absolute stitch! And an underlying theme is a fellow classmate, Elizabeth (the principal's daughter), who is constantly snooping around trying to figure out what Mr. Revere, Tommy and Freedom are up to. And she is certain she heard that horse talk!
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In Rush Revere and the First Patriots Mr. Revere, Tommy and Freedom are joined by a new student named Cam. Elizabeth continues to spy on them and catches them going through the time travel portal with Liberty! She has a video camera installed in the school hallway so she can get her video proof. When they realize they need to placate her, they take her with them on a trip to England and meet George III. Each book has activity links and a study guide at RushRevere.com .
During First Patriots, different trips occur with different individuals at different times and we meet Benjamin Franklin, George III, Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, John Adams and George Washington! We visit Boston right after the Boston Massacre and experience the Boston Tea Party. And Liberty learns how to blow bubbles with bubble gum.
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The third book is Rush Revere and the American Revolution. It is summer break, and Mr. Revere decides to teach an Honors History summer class. The focus of the adventures are (as the title states) the American Revolution. Cam is there again, as well as Freedom and Tommy. Cam has developed a bad attitude about school, history, education... almost everything to do with respecting authority...
The third book is Rush Revere and the American Revolution. It is summer break, and Mr. Revere decides to teach an Honors History summer class. The focus of the adventures are (as the title states) the American Revolution. Cam is there again, as well as Freedom and Tommy. Cam has developed a bad attitude about school, history, education... almost everything to do with respecting authority...
In our time travels we meet up again with Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock. We also meet Dr. Joseph Warren, William Dawes, Dr. Samuel Prescott and many signers of the Declaration of Independence. We experience some historic events and experience the danger, the drama and the fear. Liberty's antics help the travelers escape some scary situations. We are able to see character development in Cam's life with advice from Paul Revere.
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Book four is Rush Revere and the Star-Spangled Banner. In this adventure we visit the early 1800s. Rush and Liberty travel alone first, and then take a trip with Tommy, Freedom, Freedom's grandfather and Cam. Freedom's grandfather becomes one of the team and is let in, bit by bit, on knowledge of Liberty's special skills. The group travels by train to Washington to visit the National Archives. Liberty has created a scavenger hunt for o complete, locating various items within the building.
After viewing and learning more about the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, Mr. Revere takes part of the crew on a time travel to 1787 to talk to some of the Constitution's original framers. We return to present and visit the Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol. Liberty has another scavenger hunt for them in the Capitol Building. On a new day they visit the Supreme Court, with an assignment of questions to find answers to. While visiting the Supreme Court, the Crew meets a home schooler, Maddie, and her mom and make them "members" of the Crew and make plans to stay in touch. Then after a Metro ride to the Navy Yard, our Crew walks to Nat. Stadium to watch a Nationals baseball game. Then, during the Nats game, Rush and Tommy steal away on a time travel to the Battle of Ft. McHenry (1814).
Reading this particular book has been so fun for me! I live outside of Washington, DC. While I was reading this book my son, a high school senior taking dual enrollment classes at a local community college and currently enrolled in an American Government class, was on a field trip with his college class. After a Metro ride downtown, they visited the Supreme Court, followed by a tour of the Capitol! Oh, and my husband used to work at the Navy Yard, and we all have, of course, been to a Nationals game! Later they visit the White House.
Within this adventure we meet up with Dolly Madison, James Madison, George Washington, George Mason and Francis Scott Key.
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Book five is titled Rush Revere and the Presidency. Cam wants to run for school president and seems to think that will make him king of Manchester Middle School. Rush takes the opportunity to begin teaching about the office of President, beginning with George Washington. We also meet Martha Washington and her two grandchildren, John and Abigail Adams, and Thomas Jefferson.
Through preparation for running for school president, with Mr. Revere's help and instruction, and with input from historic Presidents, Cam learns a great deal about hard work, not giving up, and serving others. We also learn a great deal about the development of the "Road to the Presidency".
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The folks from The Adventures of Rush Revere have provided a huge amount of free resources for folks using these books. Each book has a study guide and activity links. There are also scholarship opportunities to sign your student up for.
The folks at Adventures of Rush Revere are very generous and want to see young American children succeed in learning all about our country's history. I also love the quality of these books. They are hard cover (durable) with high quality paper that is not easily torn.
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading through this series and highly recommend these books to you for your students. There are also available additional resources such as a stuffed Liberty the horse, as well as recorded versions of these books. Go to Adventures of Rush Revere to look around, and order your books today!
Other members of the Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Review Crew also reviewed these books. To see more reviews, please click the button below.
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