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Summary
Summary
America: A Patriotic Primer is a succinct history of the United States, an ABC of the principles on which this country was founded, and a book for children and families to pore over, discuss, and cherish.
A is for America,
the land that we love.
B is for the Birthday
of this country of ours....
To choose the twenty-six people and ideas that comprise the book, Lynne Cheney has drawn on a lifetime of learning about the American past, and on the inspiration that comes from witnessing recent history firsthand. Illustrator Robin Preiss Glasser imbues Mrs. Cheney's words with childlike joy through her exuberant drawings. Together they have created a patriotic primer, a book that teaches history by celebrating the diversity, tenacity, and faith of the American people.
This A to Z of America frames the story -- and the miracle -- of our country.
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-5-In this alphabetically arranged "Patriotic Primer," sample entries include "H is for Heroes and I for Ideals. Heroes remind us of our nation's ideals and how important it is to live up to them." Portrayed among the heroes, along with firefighters, teachers, and astronauts, are "elected leaders," which sounds uncomfortably self-serving coming from the wife of the vice president. For a country founded on the notion of the separation of church and state, God seems to pop up at every turn, even serving for the letter G: "for God in whom we trust." "P is for the Patriotism that fills our hearts with pride." Each letter is given at least a full page of captioned, informative drawings in ink, watercolor washes, and colored pencils. Quotes and facts frequently frame the oversized pages. "Notes on the Text" provides additional information. However, the final quote by Ronald Reagan and the large feel-good jacket photo of the author and a suitable rainbow array of children reinforce the feeling that this is a none-too-subtle paid political advertisement.-Dona Ratterree, New York City Public Schools (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
The Second Lady teams up with Glasser (the You Can't Take a Balloon series) to create this well-intentioned ("I wrote this book because I want my grandchildren to understand how blessed we are," writes Cheney in her introduction) if rather listless alphabet book celebrating the United States and its history. Rendered in ink, watercolor washes and colored pencil, Glasser's detailed, bustling art features multiple images on each spread and inventive borders containing pictures and brief factoids, yet the spreads have a slightly washed-out quality. The alphabetical entries include renowned individuals (Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln), milestones in this country's history (The Constitution, The Declaration of Independence) and generic terms (heroes, ideals, oath, patriotism, suffrage, valor). As the alphabet winds down, Cheney strikes a sentimental note, drawing readers into her narrative with her assertion that "Y is for You and all you will be in this greatest of countries, the land of the free." Glasser then provides simulated snapshots of children with captions denoting their career aspirations (e.g., "future art critic" and "test pilot of tomorrow"). Although many of the anecdotes and quotations from presidents and other patriots appear in a tiny type face, children will likely pore over the pages to glean the interesting tidbits offered. Cheney's concluding notes provide details about some of the individuals or events mentioned on the prior pages. A competent though less than compelling tribute. All ages. (May) FYI: The author's net proceeds from the sale of the book are being donated to the American Red Cross and to projects that foster appreciation of American history. A portion of the publisher's proceeds from the sale of the book will also be donated to the Red Cross. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
Glasser does some of her most effervescent work for this stars-and-stripes extravaganza, which is unfortunately a classic mismatch of form and content. Many of the concepts ([cf2]C[cf1] for Constitution, [cf2]S[cf1] for Suffrage) are too hard for kids who would enjoy the alphabetic format, and the superficiality encouraged by the format gives the book a dumbed-down quality of the kind that author Cheney has complained about elsewhere. From HORN BOOK Spring 2003, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
What does it mean to be an American? In her first effort for children, Cheney attempts to answer this question as well as encapsulate the entire history of the US through the familiar device of an alphabet book. Glasser's (You Can't Take a Balloon into the Museum of Fine Arts, below, etc.) cheerful watercolor-and-ink illustrations are the greatest strength of this ambitious project, with endearing children of all colors, kinds, and cultures, and dozens of historical figures and sites rendered in carefully researched detail. Each page or spread includes a topic sentence, several smaller related vignettes, a large initial letter framing a related illustration, and often a border incorporating a hand-lettered quotation. Packing all this information onto the page requires a crowded, busy design (a challenge met quite well by the designer), and some very small treatments of type, which are really too small for most children to read by themselves. The multiple illustrations on each page preclude reading the volume aloud to a group, although the information and the concepts will work well in elementary classrooms. The most likely use for this is for teachers and parents who want to teach their children about US history, citizenship, and patriotic concepts, probably focusing on just a few pages rather than the whole volume at once. Though the concept and busy design require some extra effort, this well-meant exploration of our history and heritage packs a huge amount of information between its covers. (author's note) (Nonfiction. 6-11)
Booklist Review
Gr. 2-4. Cheney, wife of the vice president, states that her purpose in writing this book is to inspire in her grandchildren a love and appreciation of America and its ideals--and by extension to imbue this esteem in the rest of America's children. As the subtitle suggests, the book's organization is alphabetical: "G is for God, in whom we trust. H is for Heroesand I for Ideals. J is for Jefferson. K is for King. L is for Lincoln. M is for Madison. N is for NativeAmericans, who came here first." Typically, each entry appears on a single page, accompanied by several quotations and/or facts, which are illustrated with a number of attractive ink, watercolor, and colored-pencil pictures. Several pages of appended notes offer background information on topics raised. Glasser's upbeat illustrations feature a multicultural cast of children and adults portraying and celebrating aspects of American history. An inviting choice, especially for parents and grandparents looking for a patriotic book to share with children. Carolyn Phelan.