CLIP Review: America - A Patriotic Primer

Author:  Lynne Cheney
Illustrator:  Robin Preiss Glasser
Grades 1-3 (and their parents!)

Thomas Jefferson once wrote, "Love your neighbor as yourself, and your country more than yourself."  Your children will be inspired by this book about America, as their knowledge of our country's past is expanded by a wealth of information, comprised alphabetically of principles on which America was founded. 

 One of my favorite pages is "Q". "Q is for America's Quest for the new, the far, and the very best."  The page has drawings and a highlight of the lives of Louis Armstrong, Emily Dickinson, Babe Ruth, Martha Graham, I.M. Pei, Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, Orville and Wilbur Wright, Althea Gibson, and a quote concerning space exploration from John F. Kennedy.

In her introduction, Cheney states, "I wrote this book because I want my grandchildren to understand how blessed we are. I want them to know they are part of a nation whose citizens enjoy liberty and opportunity such as have never been known before."


This incredible book, whose illustrations have been described as having been drawn with childlike joy and exuberance, will be one you and your family will pore over, discuss, and cherish. Terms like equality and valor are explained and the proper folding of a flag is shown.  And if you still have trouble remembering where all 50 states are located, find the "U" for United States page and start enjoying the picture! You may even end up learning the capitals :)

Sugar Star & Flag Cookies [Taste of Home]

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Decorating icing and/or colored sugars

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and extracts. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2- to 3-in. cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. 
• Bake at 350° for 9-11 minutes or until set. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Decorate with icing and additional sugars if desired. Yield: 10 dozen.
  This recipe comes from Taste of Home  WEBSITE
  Nutritional Facts
  1 cookie equals 51 calories, 2 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 12 mg cholesterol, 42 mg sodium, 7 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein. Diabetic Exchange: 1/2 starch.

Originally published as Sugar Star & Flag Cookies in Taste of Home October/November 2009

Also...

I cannot wait for you to meet Rachel Skvaril [The Fondant Flinger]!  She has agreed to create for us, Fireflies theme-based recipes each month beginning this September.   We are all in for a huge treat, I promise you.  Here's an example of her talents as she creates a nutritional red, white, and blue treat for Fireflies Presents!   We will introduce Rachel properly in September...In the meantime, thanks Rach, for becoming a part of the Fireflies Team!

CLIP Review: Lady Liberty: A Biography

Author - Doreen Rappaport

Illustrator - Matt Tavares
Grades 1 - 3

When did the vision for building this elegant lady begin? Why was the dream of creating and sharing her with the world so inspiring that a team of sculptors and engineers united their energies and skills to construct her? 

From the moment Edouard De Laboulaye shared his dream until Lady Liberty's unveiling in New York's Harbor some 20 years later, you'll both see the behind-the-scenes progress of her "growth" as well as read detailed accounts from those involved.  Each person gives an account of their part in Liberty's creation from a different point of view, and yet they share one common bond: to them liberty was not some abstract concept. Each knew what it was like to live without liberty, and knew it was something worth celebrating.

One hint - You'll want to have a yardstick nearby when reading this as the dimensions for the statue are given.  Most of your children will probably be about the size of Liberty's mouth (3' 0") to the length of her nose (4' 6").  Have fun measuring her torch or hand, but I wouldn't suggest you try her height from base to torch! When gazing on the last, lovely illustration, I couldn't help singing, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing..." 

 More resources about the Statue of Liberty are given at the end of this book.
 The official website of the Statue of Liberty is www.nps.gov/stli/parkmgmt/index.htm

Verbal Comm: The Pledge of Allegiance

[verbal communications]

The text of the Pledge of Allegiance is illustrated with stunning photographs of American landscapes, monuments, and flags. The meaning of the pledge, its history, and information about the flag are included.

This book by Scholastic Press is a wonderful tool for children ages 4 and up who want to learn about the origin and purpose behind reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Pledge of Allegiance

I pledge allegiance to the flag

of the United States of America,
and to the republic for which it stands,
one nation under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.

Rachel Faith leads us in the Pledge!

July Reflections: Happy Birthday, Miss Liberty

Recollections of my preschool birthdays still bring me joyous smiles. Being born on July 3rd was certainly not without festivity. Flags, parades, decorations, picnics - all of this seemed like quite a big "to-do" just for "my" birthday. Once again Mom had made my traditional 2-layer pink, white and blue checkerboard cake (being frugal meant not using too much red food coloring). "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" was written in crooked red icing and little flags were all around the edge.


My sisters and I could hardly wait until it got dark after supper, because we knew what was coming - sparklers! We always got sparklers on my birthday! Around and around the
yard we would run, squealing with delight, writing our names in the air.  Box after box of sparklers were discarded, until we carefully lit our final one and danced in circles, bowing and twirling until the last little flicker went out.  "Remember," daddy said, "there'll  be bigger fireworks tomorrow."  Wow! Were my birthdays ever special!  But soon after I started school, I came to realize that "my" birthday fireworks were not for me at all, but for a famous lady. Someone named Lady Liberty. Who was she? Why was she so special?  

Through the years my pride in America grew as my knowledge of our great country deepened.  I loved being called a "firecracker baby" and until I married and left home, always insisted on having  a pink, white and blue checkerboard birthday cake with flags. And yet something was missing; I had a longing to meet this lady with whom I'd shared such fond memories. Then it finally happened. On my first trip to New York City, just 10 years ago, as my plane was flying over Ellis Island, the clouds parted and there she was. As I stared down at the loveliest lady in American history, I could only imagine how many hundreds of thousands of eyes had gazed upon her with hope for a new life. Her golden torch gleamed in the sunlight, with flames that do not destroy, but enlighten the future of thousands. I felt 
tears running down my cheeks.  "Oh, Miss Liberty, you deserve ALL the fireworks and even the sparklers!" I whispered.

This month we will be sharing books about the Statue of Liberty, flags and other symbols of our country.  It's never too early to instill pride in America. 

Mary Byrne Kline