Uncle Sam & Old Glory : Symbols of America [Hardcover]

Delno C. West (Author), Jean M. West (Author), Christopher Manson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Have you ever wondered why the American colors are red, white, and blue? Did you know that our national mascot was almost a turkey rather than a bald eagle? Can you trace your family's ancestry back to the Mayflower Pilgrims, or perhaps to a cowboy of the Old West? Do you think you would like to spend Thanksgiving watching footraces rather than televised football or eating venison and oysters rather than turkey? Many of us have played with Lincoln Logs, but did you know that they were named after President Abraham Lincoln, who was born in a log cabin?

Symbols have always played a crucial role in shaping our identity as a country. The American buffalo, the Statue of Liberty, the Mayflower, and Uncle Sam himself have all helped convey to the world the American values of liberty and democracy.

Delno and Jean West's lively prose unveils the stories behind America's symbols, complemented by Christopher Manson's handsome woodcuts, which perfectly convey the rugged individualism of the American spirit.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This meager volume offers brief, sometimes sketchy descriptions of 15 American emblems that range from specific objects (the Liberty Bell, the Mayflower) to more generic staples of American history and lore (the Pilgrim, log cabin, buffalo, cowboy). The Wests (Braving the North Atlantic) present some lively snippets of trivia, including an explanation of the lyrics to "Yankee Doodle" (e.g., "macaroni" was the name of a hairstyle fashionable in mid-18th-century London). Unfortunately, grammatical flaws and wordiness plague many of the entries; discussing "the minuteman," the authors write, "Unlike some nations where a full-time professional army protects its citizens, American soldiers serve a series of short-term enlistments and have always seen themselves as citizens trained to fight to protect their country." And the text contains numerous throwaway generalizations: "Today, no patriotic gathering would be complete without an appearance by someone dressed as Uncle Sam." The high point of the book is Manson's (Black Swan/ White Crow) art. Painted woodcuts, these textured, predominantly earth-tone pictures successfully evoke various eras and are more likely than the text to stir feelings of patriotism in young readers. Ages 7-up. (Jan.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3-The Wests present a wide assortment of symbols that range from expected favorites such as the American flag, the Liberty Bell, and the Statue of Liberty to less familiar emblems, such as the log cabin, the peace pipe, the buffalo, and Smokey the Bear. Each entry is accompanied by a page-long description and a lovely woodcut painted in rich earth tones. While interesting and informative, the discussions are too abbreviated to use for reports. The Liberty Bell essay highlights the famous crack without naming any events that the bell commemorated. An article on the American buffalo mentions the buffalo nickel as a "true American coin," without saying that it is no longer minted. While there are several titles that cover individual symbols in greater depth, this inviting compendium provides an attractive introduction for young readers.
Jackie Hechtkopf, University of Maryland, College Park
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers; 1st edition (February 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689820437
• ISBN-13: 978-0689820434
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,213,504 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Teacher Resource, June 17, 2000

By 

Robin Bourbonnais (Riverside, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Uncle Sam & Old Glory : Symbols of America (Hardcover)

I am a 3rd grade teacher and I highly recommend this book. It is an excellent resource for teaching about the Symbols of America. Each page focuses on the origins and meanings of a particular symbol in concise, yet highly interesting text. The illustrations are full color and fabulous. My students love this book and practically fight to be able to read it during free time.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for my 5th Grade Class, June 5, 2002

By 

Donna Fosberg (Flagstaff, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Uncle Sam & Old Glory : Symbols of America (Hardcover)

Uncle Sam and Old Glory is an invaluable resource for the classroom teacher who wants to turn her students on to American History. Each symbol is explained in detail in an easy to read and interesting manner. Likewise, each symbol is accompanied by beautifully detailed woodcut illustrations. Not only did my fifth graders find Uncle Sam and Old Glory to be informative and interesting; but, it served as a springboard to further reading and research. I highly recommend that Uncle Sam and Old Glory be included in every classroom library. I plan to use it year after year with my fifth grade students.
Donna,... Flagstaff, AZ

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for Children and their Parents, April 21, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Uncle Sam & Old Glory : Symbols of America (Hardcover)

This is one of the most interesting books I have read to my 9-year-old son. He enjoyed the pictures and the stories tremendously. It was also interesting to me; I learned some interesting facts about our American history while reading this book to my son. I highly recommend it to any parent and to all teachers!