THE STORY OF THE STATUE OF LIBERTY: With Movable Illustrations in Three Dimensions

Describes the construction of the Statue of Liberty in France, its transportation to New York City, and dedication in 1876.

Kindergarten-Grade 5 Although not as thorough as most of the new books on this topic, this book does cover Bartholdi's life and outlines the construction of the statue. The double-page pop-up spreads feature workmen building a wooden skeleton of Lady Liberty's hand, the head and crown as it was being assembled in New York, and a panorama of New York Harbor with the statue dominating as it looked on the dedication day: October 28, 1886. In addition to the pop-ups, there are fold-outs, cut-outs, strings which move parts up and down, and wheels. The scale of the statue is emphasizedeven dramatizedby including human figures in each scene. Some of the moving parts point up the uniqueness of a statue of this size; others have little relation to the statue and seem to have been included simply because they lend themselves to the concept of a moving part. The inclusion of a fold-out train which conveyed the statue from Paris to the port of Rouen seems rather pointless. While this book is intriguing, young researchers will be better served by Fox' The Statue of Liberty (Messner, 1985) and William E. Shapiro's book with the same title (Watts, 1985). Mary J. Shapiro's How They Built the Statue of Liberty (Random, 1985) and the Maestros ' The Story of the Statue of Liberty (Lothrop, 1985) are both as attractive as this title while being more factual and practical than it. Deborah Vose, Brooklyn Friends School Library
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In 1875, a French sculptor named Auguste Bartholdi was commissioned to design and build the Statue of Liberty. This pop-up book details his labors, from the first wooden frames to the unveiling of the statue in New York harbor, 11 years later. A great deal of information is compressed into six spreads, including accounts of how the statue's system of steel beams and girders was designed. Moving parts allow the reader to see external and internal views by sliding a tab; pictures of people gathered around the statue provide a true perspective of its size. But at least two questions aren't addressed: Why did the French people give the Americans such an elaborate gift, and how are the copper plates made and attached? Because of the technical aspects involved, the text, though fluid, seems a bit sophisticated for its audience, and the overall visual effect is rather cluttered. It's a good idea, thoughone that may have benefited from the adage that less is more.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.