Our country's national anthem was actually written during the war of 1812 and not made the official national anthem until 1931! Author Steven Kroll retells the famous story of Francis Scott Key, a prominent lawyer (who also wrote poetry) leaving to rescue his friend Doctor Beans from the British. Imprisoned on a ship while the British prepare to attack Fort McHenry, Key watches into the night and next morning. The large American flag still flying over the fort will shows that the British were unsuccessful. Key is so inspired by the scene that he pens those famous words.... Oh say can you see, by the dawn's early light.
Sunday, July 3, 2022
Saturday, July 2, 2022
Katie's Trunk
Anne Turner explains, "In telling this story, I hope children will see that history is made up of real people- just like us. Nothing is ever clearly black or clearly white, and these great events were lived through by ordinary people- ordinary people in extraordinary times."
This is a nice companion book to so many of the revolutionary stories we have.
Thursday, June 30, 2022
The Buck Stops Here
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
The Little Blue Cottage
Monday, June 27, 2022
The Wizard of Oz illustrated by Charles Santore
There are probably hundreds of versions of the classic The Wizard of Oz (and we have several). The introduction of this book explains how the artist Charles Santore was from Philadelphia, studying at what is now The University of the Arts. You can see the influence of Pyle and Wyeth in his illustrations and they have a feel of that Golden Age about them. "Charles Santore has interpreted the story as grand opera. And no other artist has so beautifully blended Baum's naturalism with the fantasy..." (Michael Patrick Hearn).
Friday, June 24, 2022
Tom's Midnight Garden Graphic Edition
We are in the midst of a big home project which is requiring me to empty one of the bookcases in the girls' room. It's impossible not to get distracted pulling all those wonderful books off the shelves. I keep rediscovering treasures like this graphic version of one of my favorites.
Tom's Midnight Garden is certainly a special book. I'm not surprised that the illustrator Edith has re-read it many times through their life! I prefer the original novel, but this is definitely a fun version, especially if you enjoy graphic novels (which have been growing on me).