Thursday, August 24, 2017

Malam, John. You Wouldn’t Want to Be A Worker on the Statue of Liberty! rev. ed.

Malam, John. You Wouldn’t Want to Be A Worker on the Statue of Liberty!  rev. ed.   Scholastic/Watts  2017  35p   $29.00  ISBN 978-0-531-23833-2  ms    Nonfiction  VG-BN

The Statue of Liberty was designed as a gift from the French people to the United States for the centennial celebration of our independence in Philadelphia in 1876, but the statue was not installed until 1886.  The story is told from the standpoint of a young French sculptor who helps create Lady Liberty.  This slim book manages to both teach and entertain its likely readers.  Finding themselves in the position of a “member” of the statue building team, readers can experience both unskilled and skilled positions firsthand.  There is significant historical data presented throughout the book.  The major narrative is offered on the upper part of each page, with supportive illustrations and fact boxes along the bottom.  A series of "handy hint" sidebars aids the reader with helpful suggestions on how to best prepare for the construction.  This is a lively, informative presentation that combines history and humor, which may entice the reader into further study.  The illustrated characters are cartoon-like and have remarkably expressive faces that enhance the enjoyment of the book. 

The book begins with a timeline and a map and ends with a brief fact file, a glossary, an index, and a description of several other American monuments.

The series You Wouldn’t Want to Live Without introduces a variety of topics relating to each subject and includes illustrations to promote the text.  Each volume includes a timeline, glossary, list of facts, and “Did You Know?” section.     

Summary: The story of the building of the Statue of Liberty is told from the standpoint of a young French sculptor who helps create Lady Liberty.  This slim book manages to both teach and entertain its likely readers.         


Statue of Liberty                                                       --Susan Ogintz

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