'Lady Liberty: A Biography' is worthy of a look

Advertisement

What do you like best about summer?

Being out of school, right? Riding your bike or playing in the park. And Fourth of July celebrations! Who doesn't love the bang-pop of firecrackers? Who hasn't written their name in the air with a sparkler?

When you think of the Fourth of July, you think of firecrackers but other things might come to mind, too. In the new book "Lady Liberty: A Biography" by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Matt Tavares, you'll learn about one of the largest and best-loved symbols of America.

Imagine that you lived somewhere in Europe, but you and your family needed to leave quickly because of danger. You packed everything you could in one suitcase or trunk and you headed for America. On your way across the Atlantic Ocean, you knew you were safe when you saw the Statue of Liberty.

Maybe, when you saw Lady Liberty, you might have wondered why anyone would build such a huge statue. The truth is, Lady Liberty was a gift.

On America's 100th birthday, French professor Edouard de Laboulaye suggested to his friends that France should give the United States a gift. Sculptor Auguste Bartholdi thought it was a wonderful idea, and he made a small clay model of the dream that he and Laboulaye had together.

The statue would be massive and magnificent. The workers had to measure and measure again to make sure the pieces of the Lady would fit together. The man who built the Eiffel Tower helped make the Lady's body. Everyone in France was excited.

But in America -- where money had to be raised for the base of the statue -- people weren't quite so excited. Outraged, newspaperman Joseph Pulitzer asked for donations from anyone who could spare a penny, and plenty of people sent money. One girl from New Jersey sent her chickens to be sold on behalf of the statue.

And on an October day almost 122 years ago, the Lady was unveiled. You can still visit her, all because of a special birthday present from some friends across the ocean.

There's no doubt about it, kids love fireworks. And I think they'll love this book even more.

"Lady Liberty: A Biography" is different, in that the author tells the story of the Statue in many voices. I really liked that twist in a children's book; kids will learn that everyday people can make a difference, and without them, the Lady might not be here. Add in colorful, lively drawings, stats about the statue, a Web site you can visit, and a heartfelt afternote by the author, and you've got a book that won't sit on the shelf much.

While this book seems to be more for middle-schoolers, I think a group of 5- to 7-year-olds will love this as a read-aloud. For all kids, "Lady Liberty: A Biography" is sparkling entertainment.

Terri Schlichenmeyer's book reviews appear weekly in the View. She can be reached by e-mail at bookwormsez@gmail.com.