“SUSANNA’S MIDNIGHT RIDE:
THE GIRL WHO WON THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR” & STUDY GUIDE
(one-minute book trailer)
We’ve all heard of Paul Revere, but have you heard of Susanna Bolling?
Paul Revere got caught; Susanna did not. Huzzah!
Almost five years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolution hung in the balance. In late May 1781, General Cornwallis invaded City Point, VA, and quartered his army there. As 16-year-old Susanna Bolling served the British general and his officers dinner, she overheard their plans to capture General Lafayette and crush the American rebellion once and for all. Under the cover of darkness, she snuck out of her house through a secret underground tunnel and canoed downriver. Then she grabbed a neighbor’s horse and rode ten miles to warn Lafayette. But would she make it back home by sunrise without detection?
AWARDS
“DOLLEY MADISON AND THE WAR OF 1812: AMERICA’S FIRST LADY” & STUDY GUIDE
Amidst the nonstop turmoil of the War of 1812, the decisive First Lady takes action and inspires an anxious nation. Dolley Madison faces a bitterly divided Washington City when her husband, James Madison, becomes our fourth president. The prospect of war against Great Britain threatens to tear our fragile republic apart. The “Presidentess” hosts open parties in the new President’s House to unite political foes and cultivate an American identity.
When President Madison declares war with disastrous results, Dolley carries on, ignoring the threats against her. However, as British soldiers march toward Washington City, she becomes their target. Now America’s Second War of Independence hinges on her. What must she do to save the United States while also saving herself?
The true story of a woman with humble Quaker roots who rallies America during the War of 1812!
“A heart-pounding, front-row seat to young America’s fight for survival through the eyes of the Queen of Hearts: First Lady Dolley Madison. Libby McNamee brings this dark moment of American history to life through an intimate telling rich with historical facts, vivid imagery, and thrilling action. Hail to the Presidentess and her talented scribe!”
-Jenny L. Cote, award-winning author of The Amazing Tales of Max and Liz and Epic Order of the Seven series
“McNamee has written another exciting novel— replete with historical details and a lively portrayal of a smart, determined woman who is devoted to her husband and country. From the first sentence, we are breathlessly pulled into Dolley Madison’s fascinating journey as First Lady and root for her every step of the way as she navigates politics and power during a turbulent period in American history.”
—Kathryn Goodwin Tone, award-winning author of The King’s Broad Arrow
“Libby Carty McNamee has done it again! She excels at bringing real women from history to life for middle grade readers. Her new novel about Dolley Madison is full of rich historical details and important events from this little-known time period, all told in a propulsive story that is exciting for children. Your child will feel like they are fleeing the British alongside Dolley! Huzzah!”
—Jayda Justus, founder of The History Mom
“Libby McNamee firmly places Dolley Madison where she belongs—as the first lady at the epicenter of the War of 1812 and as the protagonist in her own story. McNamee graciously introduces young readers to a heroine and a female founder too often overlooked for having both made and saved American history.”
—Karen A. Chase, award-winning author of Carrying Independence
“McNamee’s mastery with the pen creates characters with depth that intrinsically tie in historical accuracy to play out in a way that exhibits a paragon of historically-themed literature. Dolley’s story is our national hiSTORY, and it engages students of all ages to let the words take them back in time.”
—Judith Kalaora, Artistic Director, History At Play, and Portrayer of Dolley Madison
“McNamee has a real talent for putting the reader in a relatable front-row seat to exciting events of the past. Dolley Madison is a force to be reckoned with in this fascinating tale of the influential First Lady in a lesser known period of American history.”
—Steven K. Smith, author of The Virginia Mysteries
AWARDS
“THE EPIC STORY OF 1776: 25 PEOPLE, 13 COLONIES, AND 1 WAR”
Award-winning historical fiction authors Jenny L. Cote and Libby McNamee hosted Epic Patriot Camp 2022 with twenty-five campers aged 10-19 from fourteen states, D.C. and one from Australia. These epic young people assumed the identity of and researched a Patriot, Loyalist or French Revolutionary character to answer three questions:
- How did the American Revolution come to my doorstep?
- How did I get involved in the American Revolution?
- What’s my story in 1776?
The point of camp is to encourage the next generation to learn America’s epic history and to tell the story for generations to come. We taught them how crucial it is to get the research right, and to thoroughly study the good, the bad, and the ugly of history. We also taught them how to make history come alive by relaying the facts with fictional fun.
This is their story, told in their words.
*Abigail Adams *John Adams *Beaumarchais *Silas Deane *Benjamin Franklin *Nathanael Greene *Patrick Henry *Thomas Jefferson *Henry Knox *Lafayette *Charles Lee *Thomas Paine *Israel Putnam *King Louis XVI *Joseph Plumb Martin *George Washington *Martha Washington *Sir Guy Carleton *Sir Henry Clinton *Lord Charles Cornwallis *Lord Dunmore *Admiral Richard Howe *General William Howe *King George III *Banastre Tarleton
FIND THE BOOKS
- GEORGE WASHINGTON’S MOUNT VERNON, Mount Vernon, VA
- COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG VISITORS’ CENTER, Williamsburg, VA
- GEORGE W. BUSH PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY, Dallas, TX
- LIBERTY UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE, Lynchburg, VA
- EVERYTHING WILLIAMSBURG, Williamsburg, VA
- HISTORIC ST. JOHN’S CHURCH, Richmond, VA
- THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION MUSEUM, Yorktown, VA
- BOSTON TEA PARTY SHIPS MUSEUM, Boston, MA
- THOMAS JEFFERSON’S MONTICELLO, Charlottesville, VA
- THOMAS JEEFERSON’S POPLAR FOREST, Forest, VA
- ANDREW JACKSON’S HERMITAGE, Nashville, TN
- TUCKAHOE PLANTATION, Richmond, VA
- THE VALENTINE MUSEUM, Richmond, VA
- THE LAFAYETTE ALLIANCE, Lagrange, GA
- HAVRE DE GRACE MARITIME MUSEUM, Havre de Grace, MD
- THE DUMBARTON HOUSE, Washington, DC
- GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE, Washington, DC
- ARLINGTON HISTORICAL MUSEUM & BALL-SELLERS HOUSE, Arlington, VA
- BERKELEY PLANTATION, Charles City, VA
- SHIRLEY PLANTATION, Charles City, VA
- TEH GALLERY AT YORK HALL, Yorktown, VA
- THE LITTLE BOOKSHOP, Midlothian, VA
- THE WINCHESTER BOOK GALLERY, Winchester, VA
- NEW DOMINION BOOKSHOP, Charlottesville, VA
- bbgb, Richmond, VA
- THE HALF WAY HOUSE RESTAURANT, Chester, VA
- PETERSBURG VISITORS CENTER, Petersburg, VA
- BLANDFORD CEMETERY GIFT SHOP, Petersburg, VA
- ALL MANOR OF THINGS, WESTON PLANTATION, Hopewell, VA
- EDITH BOLLING BIRTHPLACE AND MUSEUM, Wytheville, VA
- BUFORD PHARMACY, Richmond, VA
- WESTBURY PHARMACY, Richmond, VA
- SWEET DIXIE GIFT SHOP, Petersburg, VA
- FORT LEE QUARTERMASTER MUSEUM, Petersburg, VA
- BOOKS, BEADS & MORE, Mechanicsville, VA
- CITY CENTER GALLERY & BOOKS, Fayetteville, NC
- YODER’S COUNTRY MARKET, Charlottesville, VA
Online locations:
- THE HISTORY LIST AT THEHISTORYLIST.COM
- AMAZON.COM
- BARNES & NOBLE
- BOOKSHOP.ORG