Thursday, February 01, 2018

LADY LIBERTY IN ACTION


The Statue of Liberty is an enduring symbol of freedom in America, but for such a well known emblem, there is still much to learn about her. How did such a big statue--a gift from France--get from Paris to her home in the New York harbor? Why did she start her life brown and then turn into her signature greenish-blue color? But perhaps the most interesting of these lesser-known details of Lady Liberty has to do with her feet. Specifically her right one, hence the title of this book. If you look closely, you can see that her foot is lifting up as if in mid-stride. That's right, the famous 150-foot-tall statue, representing liberty as she welcomes many immigrants and visitors to American shores, is on the move! Where might she be going? 

Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers, illustrated by Shawn Harris, is a fun, fascinating, and deeply affecting portrait of the Statue of Liberty, which posits that her active pose serves as a reminder that liberty and freedom from oppression "require action...courage...an unwillingness to rest." From the first immigrants she welcomed in 1886 to those still arriving today from every country around the world, Lady Liberty's job receiving the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free, never ends--and it never should. 

This dynamic and poignant extended-length picture book will make an inspiring read for kindergartners and up. 

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