A Picnic in October (Rise and Shine)

This is a fantastic book! I use it in my 4th grade classroom in conjunction with a study of the Statue of Liberty, but it also speaks to many other issues such as immigration, respect for grandparents and patriotism. As always, Eve Bunting has beautiful illustrations that work so effectively with the text. In light of the events of 9-11, this book is even more meaningful and evoked a discussion of the Twin Towers shown in the skyline of New York.

Tony cannot understand why every year his family has to lug picnic supplies and even a birthday cake to the Statue of Liberty. It seems silly to him to celebrate a statues' birthday. As the day progresses, Tony begins to understand what the statue represents to immigrant families such as his. This is a beautifully written and illustrated book. The text is touching and meaningful. The illustrations capture the emotions of the text perfectly. This would be an excellent book to introduce the concept of immigration or to present to a child taking a trip to the Statue of Liberty.