Naming Liberty - Jane Yolen

Illustrator: Jim Burke
For: Kids
Pub: 2008
Rating: Mediocre
Read: Sept. 13, 2008

Something didn't quite work for me with this book. Two stories are told simultaneously, one of an immigrant family from Russia as they plan and implement their move to America. the other of the French sculptor Bartholdi and the steps he had to take to fund and create the Statue of Liberty. Both stories are interesting enough. The illustrations were nicely done, though didn't knock me out. Two-thirds of each page was an illustration, the other third the text - lots of white space. Gitl can't wait to change her name to an American-sounding one...so sad, really. Gitl is a beautiful name. We don't really get any feel at all for the family, though Yolen makes a small effort that seems almost superficial.

A great premise that didn't really work for me. Too bad.