By the Light of Fireflies transported me back in time. I felt like I was there sharing Sybil's life. This book would make a great read aloud for grades 4 through 8. It would be interesting to compare and contrast Sybil's life with life now. By the Light of Fireflies is a book that I will buy for myself and for others.

What an adventure! Sybil’s journey is worth reading! You are going to love her! I can’t wait to see what Jenni digs up from history next!!

A fantastic historical fiction middle grade giving a vibrant and engaging historical hero her time in the light. Young readers wanting to learn more about Sybil Ludington will enjoy this story of her amazing feat that also paints her as a complete person and more than just her famous ride. Recommended.

Young Sybil Ludington loves being a spy. Her father pulls her into this adventure during the early days of the American Revolution. After learning how to decode secret messages, Sybil, with the help of her horse, Star, and the fireflies, becomes an invaluable rider protecting the New York countryside. Told in a first person voice, this delightful tale of a female heroine is an exciting and adventurous tale for children, which imparts important Revolutionary War history. Highly recommended for teachers and students learning about this time period in school!

Listen, my readers, and you shall hear of the midnight ride of..... Sybil Ludington? The tale of the often unknown hero of the Revolution, By the Light of Fireflies weaves history and a touch of magic to bring middle grade readers the story of Sybil and her own nighttime ride to change the tide of the war. Sybil was only sixteen when she made her own incredible journey, typically overshadowed by Paul Revere's famous ride thanks to the poem. Sybil's ride was a tremendous feat not only for a teenage girl at that time but also for the difficulties she faced. Walsh weaves a beautifully written tale of Sybil and her family through the war. Her father is involved with General Washington and his spies, trying to defeat the British. This puts the family at risk from the Redcoats and there are several close calls that made me hold the book with white knuckles. Sybil is a role model for young girls who dare to dream big and wish to make a difference in the world that so often holds them back. The book, told from Sybil's perspective, is detailed and full of insights into Sybil's home life and her thoughts as her family navigates a world torn apart by war and the fight for freedom. Sybil's father tells her the legend that fireflies are magic. Sybil calls upon them during the story to help her in times of need. Then her father needs her to take a twenty to forty mile ride in the rain in the middle of the night to alert the militia to Redcoat activities and prepare for battle. She calls upon the strength of the fireflies and her horse Star to help her complete the overwhelming challenge. Will the fireflies answer her call? Walsh's tale sets the scene, drawing the reader into the time of the Revolution with period appropriate language and beautiful scenes and descriptions of Sybil's life. The scenes of her ride are full of action and suspense making for a gripping read about a fascinating figure in history. Readers are sure to fall in love with this book.

Jenni Walsh has a way of breathing life into strong women in history and this was right on target. I was immediately sucked into this story with our main character Sybil Ludington. I adored her relationship with Johny Whittaker and how she called him by his full name, and the way she loved her horse Star, and even the evolving relationship with her sister Rebecca, her co-spy. This is a delightful and easy read, giving young readers a peek into history, all with a touch of magic in the enchantment of fireflies. Also that cover--swoon!

There are so many people and events in our history that remain hidden. While I understand that this book is historical fiction, the main character was someone documented as not only being alive during this time but instrumental in the way she is depicted in the book. Women, in this case, a young child, often find themselves under-documented in history. I love that this story has the ability to spur excitement and curiosity to dig further into the untold stories of our past.

CAWPILE: 9.43

A historical gem, readers will enjoy learning about Revolutionary War heroine Sybil Ludington and her Patriotic ride. Just like Sybil Ludington, sometimes we face a difficult journey that unlocks the courage, determination, and power that lives inside all of us. I cannot wait to share this book with my fifth-grade readers and writers.

This was a fine middle-grade story based on a Civil War hero I'd never heard of. I was interested to learn about Sybil Ludington, who completed a longer midnight ride than Paul Revere had, at half his age, by herself. That being said, none of the characters really grabbed me, as they all felt a little one-dimensional. Saying that this is a middle-grade book doesn't excuse that, as I've read a lot of middle-grade stories where I really got attached to and enjoyed the characters. The writing style and language used was also a little confusing. I know the author, in the author's note, said that she used some anachronistic words for the point of storytelling, but I felt like not only the way Sybil talked, but also the way she thought, was much more like a girl of today than a girl of the late 18th century, regardless of older words like "supped" and "clothier" being thrown in sometimes. That last bit is likely a personal preference, though, and not an issue I imagine most readers in the middle-grade age range would have.

Thanks to NetGalley and Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Middle grade readers will love this story! Based on a real life heroine who out rode Paul Revere. It’s a story set during the Revolutionary War about friendship, family, spies, sisters, courage, horses and a touch of magic in the form of fireflies.