At The Heels of History: Filigree's Midnight Ride by Pam Berkman and Dorothy Hearst, illustrated by Claire Powell

Sometimes, I read books that are not to my personal taste. I know, I know, shocking but there it is. While I am not as dedicated as the redoubtable Ms. Yingling, who plows through anthropomorphic animal fantasy, sports books, and basically everything and anything she thinks her readers might like, I will occasionally pick up something that does not appeal to me personally at all but which I suspect might attract my readers.

This book is pretty much it - I like history but not historical fiction and I don't particularly like animal characters inserted into historical fiction. Especially talking animal characters. I was also set to be skeptical as to the accuracy of the story and the portrayal of Paul Revere.

As it turns out, I still don't like historical fiction, or talking animals in said historical fiction, but I will absolutely recommend this to kids who love that particular sub-genre.

The story begins with Filigree, a fluffy Pomeranian, trying to help a pack of Patriotic dogs. Unfortunately, they not only laugh at him, calling him "useless dormouse" but also hint that his loyalties may be divided, since he used to be "Pudding" the pet of a loyalist now gone back to England. Filigree is determined to aid the Patriot cause, despite the bullying and suspicions of the other dogs, the disinterest of the family cat Anvil, and the general disinterest of his new home, the Revere family. Only Frances, the Revere's young daughter who is still recovering from an illness, thinks Filigree can help, perhaps in part because she herself is often overlooked and forgotten as well.

With Frances and Filigree working together, Filigree proves his loyalty and usefulness and helps Paul Revere complete his vital midnight ride. There is plenty of suspense and danger, and the possible consequences to Revere are not overlooked. However, the story is fed through the eyes of Filigree, seeing the story from the viewpoint of a small, courageous dog. Filigree's assistance is realistic and small, part of the theme of the story is understanding that small things can have big effects.

The thing that tipped this over to "recommend" for me was the back matter. There is an author's note making it clear which parts of the story are historical record, which are theories of what might have happened, and which are fictional additions. There is another note about slavery and its presence in Massachusetts and during the American Revolution.

The book includes humorous cartoons, mostly of the animals in the story, and a list of acknowledgments. The text is large and there is plenty of white space, making this a good beginning chapter choice for kids not quite ready for Magic Treehouse, but interested in animals and history.

Verdict: Well-researched and carefully written to balance fact and fiction, this is a great start to a new series that is sure to get kids interested in history - and in reading.

ISBN: 9781534433335; Published August 2019 by Margaret K. McElderry; Review copy provided by publicist, Donated to the library