COMPARE AND CONTRAST: Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty

You can take the teacher out of the classroom but you can't change September habits after a lifetime of sharing books with kids. At this time of year, my love of books leaves me pining to have a classroom of kids on a carpet with a stack of picture books at hand.

So, indulge me, please. 

Two titles that are not new but deserve to be in the spotlight are about structures that actually ARE spotlit around the clock. Most who know anything about the Statue of Liberty are aware that its scaffolding structure/underpinnings are the design and execution of French designer/architect, Gustav Eiffel, the force behind the Eiffel Tower.

CHRONICLE BOOKS, 2017

In fact, his ground-breaking approach to massive constructions using materials and designs that could withstand shuddering earth forces preceded that tower. So did the Statue of Liberty. I wrote about HER RIGHT FOOT in a prior post, HERE. (If you haven't read it, I hope you will. It has great relevance to our current immigration issues.)

It was these prior successes that convinced Eiffel that he MUST be the designer to win a contest seeking a globally-impressive centerpiece for the 1889 World's Fair in Paris. He intended to create a structure taller than any other in the world, one that visitors could enter and from which they could view breathtaking scenes of Paris and its surrounding countryside.

PICTURE WINDOW BOOKS, 2016
CAPSTONE 

Of course, he did win that assignment. The challenges he faced to actually have the structure built, in tie for the fair's opening, are described in THE EIFFEL TOWER: Gustav Eiffel's Spectaluar Idea, written by Sharon Katz Cooper and illustrated by Janna Bock. 

This is a nonfiction picture book that blends a slice-of-life period for Eiffel, not a full biography. Its focus is on the building/structure that is a global icon, one that has made the name EIFFEL so recognizable. It includes surprises like  the fact that it was intended to be disassembled after the  fair, but its life was extended for twenty years to allow Eiffel to fund part of the construction and pay himself back by admissions during those after-fair years. 

The building is well over a century old now and shows no sign of disappearing.

I found this while browsing library shelves on architecture and instantly recognized how appealing this library/school intended book really is. In a recent post ai wrote about the ways in which graphic/comics offer appeal and eager participation among capable readers who resist reading. 

Sharing these  two nonfiction picture books will spark readers to compare and contrast, to look closely at text and images, to discuss tone and voice and author's purpose. Many of the deep thinking processes that developing readers need to practice are encouraged by authentic text and fascinating content. Further research and focus are easily accessed through an abundance of resources ranging from expository text to video clips. Analyzing reliability of information presented as fact is another invaluable practice. These two iconic topics open up endless opportunities to evaluate sources and content about known entities. 

Give them both a look, and maybe you'll want to share them with readers you know, too.

The Statue of Liberty and Her Right Foot: Who Knew?

As a Cybils panelist last year my category was nonfiction picture books. This category is growing dramatically in the publishing world, in numbers and in the quality and variety of offerings. There are various reasons for this, but most importantly, in my book, is the fact that nonfiction books are consistently popular with kids.

(I've linked some previous  posts from my Cybils nonfiction year in the notes below.)

Among the things I enjoy most about nonfiction books for young readers, especially picture books, are those "AHA" moments they provide, no matter what the age of the reader.   

An added benefit of outstanding nonfiction books is that the "AHA" discoveries may come from a variety of sources. The rarity or oddity discovered may reveal an entirely "new" person or event. (HERE and HERE). Or, some unnoticed or unknown aspects of a highly familiar topic may be offered, like discovering a hidden sweet in the center of a salty snack. Books can provide quirky surprises about the very famous SHAKESPEARE (Will's Words), or insights into well-known modern folks like Anne Frank and Ruth Bader Ginsberg.

Stunning discoveries can be equally gasp-worthy when exploring plant and animal topics, geology, or space. 

Even though my category as a Cybils panelist this year is poetry, I continue reading widely and often in other categories. The end-of-year season for best-of books is upon us, and that includes lists devoted exclusively to nonfiction for young readers. The New York Public Library issues a "One Hundred Best" list without sub-sorting categories, but it is obvious when scrolling through the list that nonfiction (and poetry!) have firm standing among their 2017 recommendations. 

Chronicle Books, 2017

Making the cut on many of these lists, with my personal prediction of more awards to come, is HER RIGHT FOOT by Dave Eggers, with art by Shawn Harris. In fact  (pun intended), this book has earned enough starred reviews to fill the crown of our very own STATUE of LIBERTY, the subject of the book. From the distinct perspective of the cover, the retro art makes it clear that this is no ordinary litany of facts and figures. There is no shortage of picture books that will provide information and insights to the statue's creator, it's symbolism and role in American history, the poet and poem, and the impressive statistics about the statue's size, weight, and other dimensions. A great place to start, if that's what you're seeking, is this post on Written And Bound's Blog.

In this case, though, the author's perspective is as distinct as the artistic perspective on the cover and on each page within. The book's heft (104 pages), the sturdy paper stock, and the illustration shifts from raw edges to heavy backline art to collage images underscore the  reader's  sense of this iconic statue's massive but vibrant significance in our national identity. 

This is a remarkable book on many levels. The retro art and palette, the pacing and integration of complex information, the depth of content presented in accessible conversational style, and the ultimate conclusion combine to make this an ideal book for middle grade readers. Second person direct address voice is difficult to find in quality books, and this one does it with flair. There is an ironic, nearly snarky, tone at times, but one that doesn't overdo it for effect or undermine the serious significance of the subject. 

Eggers's text spans the years prior to the creation of the statue,  through its iconic era, plants the statue firmly among the issues of today, and then strides on into the future. Those transitions are impressively handled and I can't think of another recent book that so effectively links history to current events, spanning 150 years. 

Back matter provides additional fuel to my argument that this picture book was never meant for babies, but is instead an ideal match for the humor, curiosity, and cautious idealism of adolescents.

You can read more of the glowing reviews on Chronicle's web page, here. For now, though, 

I'll close with this quote from Publishers' Weekly starred review:

★ “Eggers’s crucial and timely re-examination makes Liberty an active participant in a debate that is more contentious than ever.”