O, Say Can You See? America's Symbols, Landmarks, and Important Words

by Sheila Keenan, Ann Boyajian (Illustrator)

Overview

This picture book celebrates and explains America's symbols, landmarks, and important words in lively, brief text and bright, humorous illustrations.

There are stars-and-stripes T-shirts. There are Statue of Liberty pencil sharpeners and Uncle Sam Halloween costumes. Patriotic symbols are everywhere...but where do they come from? What do they mean? Now in paperback, this celebration of twenty of America's important places, interesting objects, and inspiring words is for the youngest Americans. Including Plymouth Rock, the White House, the flag, the bald eagle, and many more, this book draws kids in with its big, two-page spreads and fun, bright pastels and satisfies their curiosities about America's most prominent symbols.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780439593601
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	06/01/2007
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	64
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 10.88(h) x (d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Sheila Keenan is the author of many nonfiction books, including GREETINGS FROM THE 50 STATES; ANIMALS IN THE HOUSE; O, SAY CAN YOU SEE?; GODS, GODDESSES, AND MONSTERS; and the SCHOLASTIC ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES. She lives in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

Readers can explore American history and traditions in O, Say Can You See? America's Symbols, Landmarks, and Inspiring Words by Sheila Keenan, illus. by Ann Boyajian. With one to two spreads for each monument or symbol, the volume covers such historical cornerstones as the White House, Uncle Sam, the Great Seal and the National Anthem. Boyajian's brightly smudged pastel and pencil renderings complement Keenan's accessible text: "The Liberty Bell kept tolling. Finally, it cracked. No one is sure exactly when." Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

"The powerful symbols in this book stand for what the United States stands for: liberty, equality, and freedom." The subtitle provides a gloss of the subject matter: places (Plymouth Rock, the White House, Washington Monument, Ellis Island), objects (the flag, Liberty Bell, the bald eagle), holidays, and documents. The high-minded effort provides a glossary (although without a definition of "steerage"), books to read, and an index, but no sources. Opening with a paragraph about the origin of the population, the author, editor, and publisher immediately demonstrate a major oversight: no mention of native populations before the Mayflower. Later: "The Declaration of Independence is the most important document in our nation's history." Some may think otherwise. The illustration of Jefferson's writing desk on which he penned the Declaration has legs. It doesn't have them and the genius of his portable desk is in its design and construction. Illustrations in color are as trite as the text. A new symbol (after the index)-"Remembering 9/11/01"-seems to be a late addition that doesn't really fit. Overuse of the exclamation point is lazy and obviates the need for strong verbs. Not a necessary purchase. (Nonfiction. 3-4)

Kirkus Reviews