Emma's Poem: The Voice of the Statue of Liberty
Illustrator: Claire A. Nivola
Publisher: HMH Books for
Young Readers, 2013
Reading Ages: 4 - 7 years
Genre: Children's Poetry, Immigration, Children's Sociology, Picture Book
Connections:
Spotlight Poem -
Reading Ages: 4 - 7 years
Genre: Children's Poetry, Immigration, Children's Sociology, Picture Book
I Gave This Book 5 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁
Why 5 Roars? This is a beautifully written book that should be in every library and classroom. It is hard to find anything negative to say about a wealthy woman that gave her voice to the poor and brought immigration into the light.
Poetic Elements: This is a free-verse biography written for children. It is
about Emma Lazarus, the poet that wrote "The New Colossus." This poem
became one of the most recognized and honored poems in America. Both the free
verse biography about Emma and Emma's poem are found in this work.
The biography does not rhyme but does have a rhythmic feel
that brings Emma to life in a way that I think Emma would appreciate.
Appeal: Children whose families are immigrants can relate to the experience of being in a new country or culture.
“ The pictures, with their slight folk-art feel, capture
both the time and action of the story, while the text illuminates the woman. An
author’s note and the full text of the poem complete the book. A worthwhile
addition for most collections."
~~School Library Journal
Overall Quality: The art work is lovely and fits with the biography's time period. It does not distract from the story but adds a distinct charm and a certain fascination to New York and its diversity.
"Nivola’s watercolor-and-gouache paintings are rich in
color and detail, showing the elegant streets and homes of 19th-century New
York City as well as its settlement houses. Line, pattern and a sense of place
give young readers a rich vision of the "golden door" by which
"your tired, your poor, / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe
free" came to this country. Nicely done, enabling even young children to
see how the poem and the statue came together."
~~Kirkus
Layout: The author's note and poem "The New Colossus" are
located in the back of the book. It is such a large part of the importance of
this work.
Connections:
Spotlight Poem -
"Even when Emma was all grown up,
and by then a well-known writer
she still only knew people
who had plenty of everything."
~~Emma's Poem: The Voice of the Statue of Liberty
"Give me your tired, your poor
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free . . . "
~~ The New Colossus
Sharing - This would be a great book to read before taking children to New York, or a visit to the Statue of Liberty.
Activity - The Statue of Liberty
