Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 1-3. The travels of the Declaration of Independence (the one and only copy signed in 1776) make an ideal subject for an informational picture book. The Declaration has been moved, made over, and fought over by the Library of Congress and the National Archives. When it comes to tracing the document's sometimes literally bumpy trip to its permanent home, St. George's vigorous writing draws children right in, as does her use of a question-and-answer technique: Now the Declaration could be placed under glass in the Pennsylvania State House . . . right? Wrong! The history, however, gets off to a rough start, as children, who won't know much of the background, must contend with minimal references to the Continental Congress and other key historical elements. George's personalization of the document works well, though sometimes the document seems to move under its own steam (the One and Only hightailed it home ). Hillenbrand's bright, sprightly illustrations, with a marked resemblance to the works of Tomie dePaola, does an excellent job of holding interest while finding humor in the history. --Ilene Cooper Copyright 2005 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
St. George (So, You Want to Be President?) offers readers another engaging foray into U.S. history as she chronicles the journey of one of the nation's most hallowed documents. "The Declaration of Independence has had more homes than a traveling circus." Though lengthy and far-reaching in scope, the account moves swiftly, thanks to a conversational style and a sprinkling of interesting, little-known facts. Readers follow the document from its creation ("Every S looked like an F, but since that was the way people wrote back then, nobody minded") to the many times it was spirited off to secret locales during wartime (e.g., Fort Knox during WWII) to the argument over its ultimate home in Washington D.C. An often tongue-in-cheek tone (a running joke reiterates that "parchment should never be folded") and humorous, parenthetical asides ensure the story's accessibility. Hillenbrand's (Down on the Farm) mixed-media artwork fluidly captures a variety of moods, from innocent-looking children to important historical figures, contributing mightily to this entertaining history lesson. One spread depicts elder statesmen-their monogrammed britches denote which of the original 13 states they represent-comically duking it out to highlight the nascent nation's infighting. But the artist also does not shy away from grave moments: a Civil War scene depicts a soldier reeling from a wound to the chest, near a heap of abstractly outlined bodies. History buffs or not, all readers will come away better informed about this honored 2' 21/2' sheet of parchment. Ages 5-up. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-7-The Declaration of Independence, one of the most significant documents in American history, has not always resided in the same location. Based on Judith St. George's book (Philomel, 2005), this program takes readers on the journey made by the Declaration of Independence, from the original signed manuscript to the formal engrossed parchment document. The male narrator marches readers briskly through the many places the document has been taken since 1776 before reaching its current, safe home in Washington, DC. It's traveled by horseback, train, wagon, and even tank. It's been hidden from the British and protected, along with the nations' gold reserves, in Ft. Knox. It's also been exposed to sunlight, humidity, dirty fingers, and smoke. Now restored, the Declaration reposes in stately splendor where the public can view it behind glass. Will Hillenbrand's comical mixed-media illustrations are scanned iconographically, with some minor animation added. This production is not only a good introduction to an important document, but also a nice overview of American history with a fine patriotic message. It's fun to watch, highly educational, and would be a valuable resource for patriotic holidays.-Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary School, Federal Way, WA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
(Primary) American children have been waiting on the edges of their seats for a book exploring the physical history of the Declaration of Independence, right? Well, probably not, but St. George gives the subject such a genial treatment that kids may forget they never gave a thought to what happened to the precious document after it was signed. With breezy authority, the text describes the creation of the engrossed (""written in large, clear letters on parchment"") Declaration following its adoption and printing, and then reveals how war, celebration, and misguided preservation efforts forced the removal of the Declaration from place to place, the artifact suffering such indignities as heat stress, fading, and smoke exposure until its 1942 refurbishment and final storage in the National Archives Building. It's an altogether amiable account, chatty and full of rhetorical questions that lead the reader from event to event and place to place (and, appropriately for this work, skirt the thorny issues of just whom the Creator endowed with those unalienable rights). Hillenbrand's bright mixed-media line-and-color illustrations borrow from the conventions of old political cartoons, mixing children and historical figures with familiar icons to extend the larger-than-life narrative. Always reverent but never overawed, this book provides a friendly prism through which to view American history. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
This is undeniably winning; whether it is good, however, is up for discussion. St. George employs her lively style to chronicle the journeys of the Declaration of Independence (and its copies) through American history. Jefferson composed it, 25 copies were printed and the signers put their signatures to an engrossed version, i.e. written in large clear letters on parchment. It's that version that has been rolled up and hidden, recopied, hung in sunlight (which faded it), in a room with cigar smokers and a fireplace, restored and fought over by the Library of Congress and the National Archives. St. George casually races through American history. She makes a running joke that parchment must be rolled, not folded, but never explains why or what parchment is. The pictures, charming as they are, are certainly not meant to be historical (or literal) with their cartoony aspects and odd touches (the restoration folk treat the Declaration with cardiac monitors, stethoscope and test tube). Children will probably love it, but whether they will get any honest history out of it is a different question. (bibliography) (Picture book. 5-9) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
