Title: Emma’s Poem - The Voice of the Statue of Liberty
Author: Linda Glasser
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Year of publication: 2010
Photographer: Claire A. Nivola
Genre: History/immigration
Age Level: 6 up
Theme: Peace for children all over the world, Hospitality, and Compassion.
Synopsis: Emma's Poem, The Voice of the Statue of Liberty, is about a young girl raised in a wealthy Jewish family who grew into a passionate humanitarian and well-known writer. She wrote many poems, stories, and articles. Most importantly she was a woman who wanted her voice to be heard. She lived in New York City during the late 1880's in a family full of fortune and wealth. One day she visited the New York Harbor where she saw many impoverished immigrants, Jews and non-Jews who had traveled from afar for freedom in America. She began to help these people, which then inspired her to write one of the most powerful poems. This poem, gave the Statue of Liberty a voice to welcome all new immigrants to the United States. In Emma's Poem, author Linda Glaser, writes about Emma Lazarus as a little girl and then a grown woman who creates a beautiful sonnet that is now inscribed on the Statue of Liberty. She lived a short life dying at thirty-eight years old. Her deep caring for immigrants inspired Emma to create the powerful poem that gave the Statue of Liberty a voice of welcome for immigrants. Emma Lazarus’ small poetry, the voice of the statue of liberty, with the help of a friend, a composer, and the voices of school children across the country has shape the hearts and minds of the whole nation.
About the photographer: Claire Nivola was born in 1947 in New York City. Her parents were both artist. Claire drew and sculpted from her earliest childhood. She illustrated her first children’s book in 1970. She illustrated the book, The Messy Rabbit, written by her mother Ruth Nivola, and Save the Earth by Betty Miles. Claire Nivola, the Illustrator creates elegant full-page illustrations of Emma’s poem done in watercolors and Gouache. The magical pictures in the book are painting like in that they make the story come to life with intricate details. The pictures along with the words tell a beautiful story that is of American history that should never be forgotten.
Pre-reading activities: I will tell the story of the statue of liberty to the children and asked them to choose a nation they to be free. I will invite them to learn to din with
Post-reading activities: Teacher and students will go to New York City for an excursion and visit particularly the statue of liberty.
Reflection: I recommend this book for children ages 4-8 and I highly recommend it for all libraries. I love this book because it tells important information concerning immigrants. Why I recommend this book is that its story teaches children how Emma's poem and the Statue of Liberty came together and are an important part of our history and life. In short, this book is of social action, community service, and social justice. Children will be given some colors and pencils to draw a thank you card to elderly people in our neighborhood showing how much we all should help support one another.
Works cited:
No comments:
Post a Comment