Not quite as lame as the blurb makes it out to be. Theme so important it makes up for the less than stellar story-telling and the ok art. ( )

This is a great book to use in a history class because it talks about a family who came to America for a fresh start. This can help learners understand what that was like. ( )

I adored this book, the main message was that there is an importance of traditions and new beginings and the two of them are normally tied together. The pictures were so colorful and bright that it instilled a sense of hope in me that I didn't even know was possible. One of my favorite pictures is when we first see the Statue of Liberty, she is drawn with such power and precision that even the drawing pulls forth a sense of belonging from the readers. Another amazing feature of the story was the point of view. The story is told from the viewpoint of a young boy, childlike wonder is throughout the story. At one point the boy focuses on nothing other than wondering if another family got onto the boat. These innocent thoughts and story lines made the book incredibly enjoyable. ( )

At Grandma’s insistence, Tony and his family picnic every year at the Statue of Liberty on the statue’s birthday despite it being cold and October. Tony doesn’t get the importance of the Statue, but an encounter with a non-English speaking family helps him see better what the Statue means to Grandma.

A great example of a personal narrative (for those teaching it at the elementary or middle school level), this book shows a child's subtle attitude change when he for the first time seems to understand and appreciate the significance of his family's annual tradition of having a very cold picnic on Liberty Island to celebrate the statue's birthday.

The family's ancestry is Italian. ( )