The Flag We Love

by Pam Muñoz Ryan, Ralph Masiello (Illustrator)

Overview

Written in poetic verse, THE FLAG WE LOVE tells the story of how Old Glory solidified its place in the history and heritage of our nation - from its conception to its role in peace and war. This beautifully illustrated tribute to America's greatest symbol has inspired young readers since its publication in 1996.

Unlike any other picture book about the American flag, THE FLAG WE LOVE evokes the passion and emotion Americans feel toward the Stars and Stripes. It is a way for children and adults alike to get to know and recognize the significance behind the symbol they see every day but do not fully understand.

This 10th anniversary limited edition includes an author's note from Pam Ryan, and photos and reflections by illustrator Ralph Masiello.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781570917073
Publisher:	Charlesbridge
Publication date:	07/01/2006
Edition description:	Anniversary
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	671,228
Product dimensions:	9.31(w) x 11.31(h) x 0.35(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Pam Muñoz Ryan is a native of California. She received her bachelor's and master's degrees at San Diego State University and she worked as a bilingual teacher and an early childhood administrator before dedicating herself full-time to writing. She wrote her first book at the age of 32 at the encouragement of a friend. She has written many picture books for young children and novels for older students. Pam lives in California with her husband and four children. She often speaks at schools and conferences about writing and literacy.

Editorial Reviews

Strike up the band and prepare to salute-this patriotic picture book unabashedly celebrates the Stars and Stripes. In a series of earnest verses, Ryan (One Hundred Is a Family) introduces young readers to our national symbol and the ideals for which it stands ("Americans stand together/ Before ceremonies start/ And promise their allegiance/ With their hands across their hearts"), while prose insets offer historical tidbits in a sidebar format. The book's clean, airy layout contrasts with Masiello's (The Extinct Alphabet Book) intense, sometimes murkily-hued oil paintings, which echo Ryan's text in their solemnity and fervor. Nonetheless, the result should delight Yankee Doodle dandies everywhere, and could help spark discussion on the basic elements of democracy. All ages. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Gr 1-6-A poetical history of the U.S. flag. Each double-page spread features a four-line, rhymed verse of mediocre quality and a box of well- and little-known trivia on the left, and a full-page painting on the right. The stronger illustrations include such moving scenes as the train carrying Lincoln's coffin, the Vietnam War Memorial, and an astronaut walking on the moon with a U.S. flag reflected in his visor. Other pictures are less effective-the ill-proportioned, misshapen hands on several figures are distracting. Overall, however, the bold, detailed paintings in muted colors help to emphasize the patriotic theme. An additional purchase.-Eunice Weech, M. L. King Elementary School, Urbana, IL

School Library Journal

nger for reading aloud. In this tribute to the American flag, each right-hand page of the book is filled with a colorful painting, while the facing page contains a smaller picture, a four-line verse, and several facts about the flag. For instance, one spread reads: "A teacher raises a radiant flag / To let the children know / The schoolyard is a place to come / for the chance to learn and grow." The large illustration depicts flag-raising at a log schoolhouse. Other topics include the making of the country's first flag and the writing of "The Star Spangled Banner" as well as the flying of the flag on Lincoln's funeral train, at the Olympics, at ports of entry to the U.S., and on the moon. There's no hint of controversy here, just a bit of flag waving to celebrate the history of the Stars and Stripes. Although both verse and illustration seem awkward at times, libraries with a demand for the subject at this grade level will find this a useful resource.

ICarolyn Phelan

Parallel texts (celebratory verse above, boxed historical information below) and burnished oil paintings combine in this paean to the American flag. The awkward verse ("The many connotations/For which our banner stands/Reflect our country's best intentions/And the people of this land") adds little to the effort, and although the boxed text correctly states that no one knows who made the very first Stars and Stripes, both poem and illustration (which shows the needlework of a lefthanded seamstress) tend to perpetuate the Betsy Ross legend. Another oddity: In the spread depicting the use of the flag at sporting events, the athlete shown is almost certainly Jesse Owens, yet his name and the significance of his Olympic victory are not mentioned.

The book is chiefly interesting for its depiction of the many ways in which the flag is used, e.g., to denote government buildings and official ports of entry, to mark the visits of explorers to remote regions, to memorialize fallen heroes, and to symbolize solidarity in parades and protest marches.

Kirkus Reviews