Happy Birthday, America! [Hardcover]

Marsha Wilson Chall (Author), Guy Porfirio (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

A family reunion, a parade, a Jell-O mold in the shape of the United States, fireworks-- it must be the Fourth of July! From picnic preparations to the final starburst floating down through a midnight blue sky, Marsha Wilson Chall and Guy Porfirio serve up a happy, hometown Independence Day celebration with all the trimmings. So grab a sparkler and come join the fun!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Chall (Up North at the Cabin) and Porfirio (The Raggly Scraggly No-Soap No-Scrub Girl) offer an affectionate paean to the Fourth of July in this story of one extended family's holiday celebration. The narrator, an amiable girl who is "almost nine," relays snatches of conversation and her own impressions as carloads of relatives pull up to her family's welcoming clapboard house ("They squeeze me and pat me and lipstick smack me" she says of some older folks' warm greeting). The clan's high spirits resonate in the intentionally grainy, sun-dappled watercolor and colored-pencil art, which presents engaging depictions of town-wide festivities (a timeless parade in which the narrator rides in a "wheelbarrow float"), as well as of the family's own traditions (a picnic, a swim in the lake and a sunset boat trip to view fireworks). Chall's breezy and spontaneous storytelling sets a tone of familiarity and comfort. "An army of aunts swarms out of the kitchen, carrying sweet-pickle jars and casseroles," observes the narrator, who then cuts into a molded dessert shaped like the United States and announces, "I plop Florida down right next to my lasagna." Ample good cheer, mixed with splashes of patriotism and nostalgia, make this a family outing to which nearly everyone will feel invited. Ages 5-up. (May)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4-A family celebrates the Fourth of July, complete with flags flying, a neighborhood parade, a picnic feast, swimming in the lake, games on the lawn, and, of course, fireworks at night. It is a nostalgic visit that shares some of the joys of extended family coming together for a reunion, without getting into any of the reasons for the celebration. The illustrations are done in bold, bright colors as befits the occasion, and facial expressions show the excitement and fun of the event. The characters engaged in the assorted festivities are set on vivid bled spreads, mostly green, reflecting the sunny summer day. At the end, children and adults enjoy fireworks, placed on two deep-blue spreads. This attractive but wordy slice of small-town life, set in the not-too-distant past, has more visual appeal than engaging story.
JoAnn Jonas, Carlsbad City Library, San Diego, CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1st edition (May 3, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688130518
• ISBN-13: 978-0688130510
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #902,581 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born and raised in Minnesota as an only child, Marsha Wilson Chall amused herself in daydream and now sets those dreams in the storyscapes of lakes, woods, prairie, and beyond (even France). She hopes her books invite the reader to explore new destinations, both outward and inward.

Chall has published a children's chapter book and eight picture books, including Pick a Pup, One Pup's Up, Up North at the Cabin, and Bonaparte. Her books have received numerous awards: an International Reading Association Teacher's Choice Award, American Booksellers Pick of the Lists, Parents Choice, NAPPA Gold Award, and Smithsonian Notable recognition.

When she's not writing or sharing her love of good books at schools or conferences, she enjoys teaching in the MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Hamline University. She has two grown children and lives on a small farm west of Minneapolis with her husband, dog, and barn cats.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My memories in print!, August 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Happy Birthday, America! (Hardcover)

This book was so evocative of my memories of Fourth of July celebrations in my hometown in Wisconsin. From sparklers to grand fireworks, from wagons to parades, from wiggling jello to yummy picnic fare, this book is populated by a never-ending family--it's wonderful, joyous reading. And the ending gives me shivers each time I read it--thank you Marsha Wilson Chall for putting my memories into words.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Narrow view of small-town America, July 3, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Happy Birthday, America! (Hardcover)

As a librarian living and working in the midwest, I was thrilled to get a beautifully illustrated book celebrating July 4th. Not enough is published on this holiday. I was very disappointed, though, to see that the book lacks any depiction of people of color, who certainly inhabit many small towns throughout this country. Shame on all the powers that be who allowed this to go to print with such a narrow perspective. There is no excuse for not making this book truly representative of America, with all its hues, especially in the long shots, where dozens of townsfolk are depicted.