Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Liberty!
Picture Book
For ages 4 to 7
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), 2002 ISBN: 0374443971
A little boy is going to be a part of the most amazing event that has taken place in New York City in a long time. Mr. Bartholdi’s spectacular statue is finally going to be introduced to the world and the little boy is going to help the great man do this. As they approach the island on which the statue stands there is so much commotion, so much to see, so many people talking, waving flags, and shouting. There is a ship of immigrants arriving in the harbor, people looking for a new life in America. There are women demanding the right to vote waving placards and shouting slogans.
The little boy also sees many of the men who helped build the statue in France and many of those who helped to put her together in America. A gift of the French people, the statue is unlike anything anyone has ever seen and she represents the spirit of America and her people.
This wonderful account of the unveiling of the Statue of Liberty is based on the real story of what happened on October 28th 1886. There really a little boy who was supposed to help with ceremony but his story and the part he played in the celebration has not been recorded in the history books. In this story the author fills in the gaps presenting a lively, exciting story which children will have no difficulty relating to.
