Red, White, Blue and Uncle Who?: The Stories Behind Some of America's Patriotic Symbols

by Teresa Bateman, John O'Brien (Illustrator)

Overview

Have you ever wondered how the Liberty Bell got cracked? Did you know the wild turkey almost became the national bird of the United States? And who is Uncle Sam, anyway? 

Answer all these questions and many more as you explore the history behind seventeen well-known monuments and symbols of the United States of America—including the Great Seal, the Pledge of Allegience, the Capitol Building and more.

Descriptions of each symbol include the history behind it, the people involved in creating it, and intriguing trivia. Important dates are highlighted, helping to create a timeline of when these patriotic symbols became accepted parts of our nation's history.

John O'Brien's black-and-white cartoon illustrations on nearly every page add a touch of humor to the engaging text. An index is included.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823417841
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	01/01/2003
Pages:	64
Product dimensions:	7.55(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.17(d)
Lexile:	960L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Teresa Bateman is a school librarian, a storyteller and the author of many lively stories and poems for children. She has won both the Storytelling World Award and the Anne Izard Storyteller's Award. Her books include Job Wanted and Keeper of Soles, an ALA Notable Children's Book. She lives in Tacoma, Washington.

John O'Brien is a cartoonist whose work appears in The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and other publications. He is the creator of many children's picture books and the illustrator of many more, including Washington D.C. from A-Z by Alan Schroeder.

Editorial Reviews

"Bateman keeps interest high with well-written and easy to understand short chapters about each patriotic symbol. . . . O'Brien's humorous cartoon drawings add detail to the descriptions in the text, and are useful in helping the readers visualize the context of the symbol. . . . a must for elementary grades studying America's early years."—Kirkus Reviews
 
"This appealing book will be welcomed by report writers and browsers and will be a great addition to units on American history."—School Library Journal
 
"Bateman finds plenty of interesting information to share about each symbol or site, and browsers will be entertained by the many stories of origination, construction, and history."—Booklist

From the Publisher

Gr 4-7-This information-packed potpourri of trivia and important facts does indeed give the stories behind 17 American patriotic symbols as diverse as Uncle Sam, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the Great Seal. The lively text moves along so merrily that readers will be surprised to discover how much material is included. Each topic is given two to four pages including one or more sophisticated, witty, black-and-white line drawings. For the most part, the information is clear and complete. The coverage of the Korean War Memorial is especially welcome as there is not much in print on it. However, explaining the Vietnam War and the Korean conflict in a few sentences proves somewhat difficult. The text throughout the book is easy to read with uncomplicated sentences and short paragraphs and plenty of white space. This appealing book will be welcomed by report writers and browsers and will be a great addition to units on American history.-Marlene Gawron, Orange County Library, Orlando, FL Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

School Library Journal

How well do you know your country? From the better-known tale of the Statue of Liberty, to the less familiar story of the Great Seal, the meaning and history behind 17 patriotic sites and symbols are explored in depth. Readers will learn the amazing history behind the writing of "The Star-Spangled Banner," and the mystery of that strange pyramid on the back of a one-dollar bill will finally be resolved. The national flag once had as many as 20 stripes and the White House was not originally intended to be white. Find out why there is an oval room in the White House, and discover how several of the monuments in the nation's capital came to be. Bateman (A Plump and Perky Turkey, p. 1207, etc.) keeps interest high with well-written and easy to understand short chapters about each patriotic symbol. She chooses her facts well and doesn't get bogged down with too much detail. But readers will miss an introduction to the book-it just jumps right into the first chapter about the American Flag. Also, a map of Washington D.C. would be a welcome addition, since eight of the symbols are located there. O'Brien's (More True Lies, p. 592, etc.) humorous cartoon drawings add detail to the descriptions in the text, and are useful in helping the reader visualize the context of the symbol. However, the people in his drawings are rather eerie, with white eyes heavily circled in black, reminiscent of the Little Orphan Annie cartoons. Still, this is a must for elementary grades studying America's early years. (Nonfiction. 7-12)

Kirkus Reviews