The Journey of the One and Only Declaration of Independence - Hardcover

St. George, Judith

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0399237380 ISBN 13: 9780399237386

Publisher: Philomel Books, 2005

Synopsis

The surprisingly fun and little-known history behind America's history!

Everyone would agree the one and only Declaration of Independence deserves the best. After all, it's at the heart of our country. But since it was signed in 1776, the Declaration has had as many ups and downs as the United States itself. It has been rolled up, copied, hidden away and traveled by horseback, sailing vessel, mail truck, railroad car and military tank. After being front and center of a new nation, it has escaped two British invasions and survived for more than two centuries of both peaceful times and devastating wars.What a journey! And it remains proudly the one and only Declaration of Independence.

Judith St. George, author of So You Want to Be President?, and Will Hillenbrand give readers a witty and wonderfully illustrated true story of the invincible Declaration, giving heroic testimony to the grit and determination of the country itself.A fun and fascinating way to share the history of the document that gave the American people their freedom.

About this title

About the Author

Judith St. George has published dozens of successful nonfiction books for children, including the Caldecott Medal-winning So You Want to Be President? and the historical Turning Point series, including You’re On Your Way, Teddy Roosevelt; Stand Tall, Abe Lincoln; and Take the Lead, George Washington. You can visit her online at www.judithstgeorge.com.

From Publishers Weekly

Starred 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)
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About this edition

• Publisher: Philomel Books
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0399237380
• ISBN 13: 9780399237386
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 48
• Illustrator: Hillenbrand Will