Lady Liberty’s Holiday

Jen Arena

Lady Liberty is feeling blue … despite being green. Taking her pigeon friend Moe’s advice, she ventures off to see the great USA. Clever illustrations reinforce Liberty’s immense size as she tours iconic American sights such as the St. Louis Arch and the Grand Canyon. When Liberty hears the mayor of New York has canceled July Fourth celebrations because she’s missing, she gasps, “The Fourth of July isn’t about me. It’s about America!” A fun, patriotic introduction to America’s man-made and natural wonders, the book includes interesting facts about Lady Liberty in the back matter. (Ages 4-8)

We Came to America

Faith Ringgold

We came to America, every color, race, and religion, from every country in the world. Ringgold’s refrain rings out from simple, bold illustrations portraying a wide range of immigrants sharing their ethnic and religious cultures in America. Some came in chains, some fled persecution, and some simply came—but all are now Americans. A celebration of our melting-pot heritage, this is a good choice to introduce the concept of immigration to younger children—and to remind ourselves, during a tense election year, that our nation is more than any one people group. (Ages 3-7)

Diana’s White House Garden

Elisa Carbone

Ten-year-old Diana’s father is Harry Hopkins, chief adviser to President Roosevelt during World War II. She lives in the White House. Although eager to support her country, Diana’s activities—spying, making quarantine signs, and sticking pins upright in chairs to thwart the enemy—annoy the adults. When she hears about the need for home gardens, Diana gets involved. She helps plant the first victory garden on the White House lawn, setting an example for the nation. This book is an enjoyable read-aloud based on memories of the real Diana and accompanied by lively illustrations. (Ages 5-8)

America’s Tea Parties: Not Onebut Four!

Marissa Moss

This meaty, informational picture book sheds light on the symbolism of tea for the American colonists, who staged four protest “tea parties” in Boston, Charleston, New York, and Philadelphia. While fairly presenting the British side of the argument, Moss provides the patriot’s perspective. Historical maps, engravings, political cartoons, and portraits—as well as sidebars explaining practices such as tarring and feathering—enhance the text. Back matter includes a detailed timeline, lengthy bibliography, and more. A conversational tone, historical and contemporary comparisons, and depth of research make this a remarkable resource for young students of American history. (Ages 10 and up)

Afterwords

In Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis writes of his service in World War I, with a special mention of “dear Sergeant Ayres” and 2nd Lt. L.B. Johnson, who argued philosophy in the trenches. Ayres, Johnson, and Lewis himself are characters in Douglas Bond’s historical novel for teens and adults, War in the Wasteland (InkBlots Press, 2016). With the fictional Nigel Hopkins, readers overhear many of those arguments, as Lewis defends his youthful atheism against Johnson’s developing theism.

The story proceeds as a series of set pieces, vividly portraying the dreariness, filth, exhaustion, madness, and horror of “the war to end all wars.” Nigel’s relationship with his talented dog, Chips, and the courageous nurse Elsie provide human interest, but the focus is on Lewis, as the seeds of his faith are planted in a time of crisis and testing. Lewis fans will even recognize some of his later arguments in the words of Lt. Johnson. —Janie B. Cheaney