America the Beautiful

This is a book that can be shared by the entire family.

Author: Katharine Bates Illustrator: Chris Gall Pages: 32 Publisher: Little, Brown & Co. Published Date: 04/17/2004 Genre: Non-Fiction - Poetry Publisher's Recommended Reading Level: All ages Read Aloud: 5+ Read Alone: 6+

Common Sense Note

While most children are able to sing parts if not all of this famous American hymn, many have little idea what the words mean. This illustrated version gives not only all four verses, but also strong images of American life that will help make sense of the song.

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Marigny Dupuy

The illustrator, Chris Gall, is the great-great-grandnephew of poet, Katharine Lee Bates, who grew up with the original lyrics hanging on his wall. A talented illustrator, he used digitized hand engravings to create boldly colored images of American life, history, and symbols. From the Statue of Liberty and Sacagawea, to pictures of the WWII Tuskegee Airmen and the rescue workers raising the flag on September 11, 2001, to a young couple working on their family farm, the images are beautiful, powerful, and inspiring.

While designed in children's picture book form, this is a book that can be shared by the entire family.

From the Book:
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!

Plot Summary:

The well-known national hymn, "America the Beautiful," was written by Massachusetts poet and professor of English, Katharine Lee Bates, in 1893. A graduate and later department head of Wellesley College, she was inspired by the view from the top of Pike's Peak while on a trip to the west. The poem was published first in a church publication, but gained rapid popularity. With the tune written by Samuel Ward, it is one of the most familiar and beloved, patriotic American songs.

There is a page at the back of the book that gives information about each of the sixteen illustrations and another with Samuel Ward's music to the song.