On the Day the Tall Ships Sailed
by Betty Paraskevas
(Check Catalog)
As the tall ships sail into New York Harbor to celebrate the Fourth of July, a bald eagle soars in the sky overhead, a regal symbol with shining armor and eyes like canary diamonds.
School Library Journal
K-Gr 3-Told in rhyme, the text follows the journey of tall ships into New York Harbor for a Fourth of July celebration. A lone bald eagle follows the ships in, circling above the action. "He was standing in the sky/As the tall ships moved on by./He was flesh and blood that Sunday in July." An accompanying musical score is included. Vivid panoramic paintings of the ships and the harbor, as seen from the bird's perspective up high, tie the book together. A combination of beefy brush strokes and deep blue hues add to the effectiveness of the art. Although it does not offer any background information as to why the Fourth of July is celebrated, this title can be used to introduce both this nationalistic holiday and a national symbol.-Lisa Gangemi Krapp, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.
SLJ Reviews 2000 October (SL0J)
Booklist Monthly Selections
- #2 October 2000 (BL0T)
Ages 4-8. The mother-and-son team that created Junior Kroll (1993) offers another rhymed picture-book presentation. The text is a patriotic song describing how a single eagle soars high above the tall ships sailing up the Hudson River on the Fourth of July. With eyes like "canary diamonds in the sun," this magnificent bird looks more regal in the flesh than carved in stone as he reminds the crowds below of all he symbolizes. The rich, acrylic illustrations feature a black, white, and yellow raptor set against a mostly blue background of sky and sea. Many spreads present aerial views of this American icon gliding high over Manhattan, and several scenes depict close-ups of the bird in flight. With music appended, this is a good choice for story hours, especially on Independence Day. --Kay Weisman Copyright 2000 Booklist Reviews
