A Virtual Author Visit with Ben Edwards for Fifth Graders

The story of one family’s gift passed down from the time of the American Revolution teaches children the value of goal setting

At the age of 10, Ben Edwards first heard stories of a family connection to Paul Revere. He also grew up with tales about his relative Philip Edwards who made the supreme sacrifice in World War I. Phil had a remarkable way with children. They followed him wherever he went. He told the children stories as he made deliveries by horse-drawn wagon for a market in the Millville section of Naugatuck, Connecticut. Ben’s grandmother was one of those children. But what was the objective of Phil’s conversations with those youngsters? Ben thinks he knows the answer and that is the basis for his book. One April in Boston is a children’s book unlike any other you have ever read. Fully illustrated in pen and ink, 256 pages, and written for ages 10-13, it teaches American history, the power of imagination, and the value of goal setting.

In this unique book your students will learn the real story of Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride; witness the first shots of the American Revolution; attend the reading of the Declaration of Independence in Boston on July 18, 1776; visit the Paul Revere House in 1909; and much more. Each student will receive access to the eBook and audiobook versions of One April in Boston in advance of Ben’s virtual author visit.

After researching his Boston ancestors for six years, author Ben Edwards has crafted a tale that not only tells their story by tying in real connections to Paul Revere and Abraham Lincoln, but honors his relative Private Philip Edwards by revealing the gift he gave to the neighborhood children before leaving for France to fight in World War I and passing into legend.