I Pledge Allegiance

With simple, straightforward language and playfully quirky illustrations, a team of celebrated children’s book creators takes a look at each word of the Pledge of Allegiance — and explains what it means.

"I led a pigeon to the flag" . . . "and to the wee puppet" . . . "one nation, and a vegetable" . . . What was that again? Children in the United States of America have been reciting the Pledge of Allegiance since 1892 - and for about that long, they’ve found its big words confusing. Now, beloved children’s book author Bill Martin Jr (BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR, WHAT DO YOU SEE?), fellow literacy expert Michael Sampson, and Caldecott Honor-winning artist Chris Raschka give America’s children a hand, and explain this patriotic poem once and for all.

Written especially for children, the Pledge of Allegiance was first recited on October 12, 1892, by 12 million children across the country and has been memorized by generations of children ever since. Isn’t it time they understood the meaning behind its words?

Bill Martin Jr is the author of more than 300 books, including the beloved classic BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR, WHAT DO YOU SEE? illustrated by Eric Carle. The International Reading Association named Bill Martin Jr one of the "Greats of the Century." "I think the Pledge of Allegiance is the most beautiful chain of language I know," he says, "It’s a miracle that children can even recite the Pledge of Allegiance, with its sophisticated and complex language, yet they jump right in. The Pledge of Allegiance is forever imprinted on their minds."

Chris Raschka is the illustrator of many books, including the concrete poetry anthology A POKE IN THE I, edited by Paul B. Janeczko, a NEW YORK TIMES Best Illustrated Children’s Book; and the Caldecott Honor Book YO! YES? Chris Raschka says, "My parents have always respectfully refused to recite the Pledge of Allegiance - my father for religious reasons and my mother because she was born in Vienna. And that’s why I was drawn to this project. In America, we each have the freedom to choose, including the freedom to choose whether or not to say the Pledge."