Celebrate Independence Day: With Parades, Picnics, and Fireworks

by Deborah Heiligman

Strike up the band, pack a picnic, and enjoy the fireworks. Celebrate Independence Day takes a nationwide perspective on the joy of America's biggest party. All the history and culture of Independence Day is here, along with fun facts, an all-American recipe, a locator map for every photo and a complete resource guide. Deborah Heiligman's rich narrative evokes the patriotic flavor of the Fourth—and explains its associations with liberty and democracy. The text also looks at how people from other nations celebrate their independence days, and includes an expert consultant's note.

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Genres: Nonfiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 8, 2007

About the author

Deborah Heiligman has been writing for children since she worked at Scholastic News soon after college. Since then she has written more than thirty books for children and teens. Her books include picture books, both fiction and nonfiction, and young adult nonfiction and fiction. Some titles: Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith, a National Book Award finalist; The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdos, a Cook Prize Winner and Orbis Pictus honor; Intentions, a Sydney Taylor Award winner, and a picture book series about Tinka the dog. Her latest book is Vincent and Theo: The van Gogh Brothers. For more information please visit www.DeborahHeiligman.com

Reviews

[John]

Great photographs!

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful book has an in depth explanation about the history of Independence Day and how we celebrate it today. It talks about how we came to celebrate this day and describes the traditions people cherish. For example, we have parades, picnics, people make heartfelt speeches, watch fireworks, and remember the importance of this day. “Hooray for Freedom!” At the end of the book, there is a fact sheet about Independence Day and how people celebrate their own around the world! The book has engaging pictures that add so much to the colorful text and includes maps and recipes at the end. This book is a great informational book to teach diverse students about our Independence Day. Students may write a narrative describing their traditions on Independence Day as well as diverse students describing their independence day and how they celebrate it in their own country. It would make a great sharing time with the classroom as we learn about each other. It is a good way to create community by incorporating children’s roots in the classroom.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book informs readers about the history of our U.S. Independence Day. Details, maps, recipes, colorful photos, and engaging text make this an excellent book. Some multicultural Independence Days are described on p. 27 and include how Mexico, Iceland, Botswana, and Cambodia celebrate. Grades K-3.

Curriculum Connection: The book is an excellent one to add to lessons on patriotism. It also helps reinforce the concept of a tradition and includes examples such as parades, picnics, three-legged races, food-eating contests, going to concerts, running races, baseball games, hearing speeches, and watching fireworks.

Citation: Heiligman, D. (2007). Celebrate independence day. Washington D.C.: National Geographic Society.

Reviews and Awards: Horn Book 10/01/07, Wilson's Children 10/01/10, School Library Journal 08/01/07

[babyhippoface · Rating 3 out of 5]

National Geographic has brought its signature outstanding color photography to this large format picture book and paired it with simply stated text about our patriotic American holiday. Paragraphs are set apart by keywords and phrases from each spread printed in very large text across the middle of the page. Traditional activities, foods, and events are described, from parades and picnics to fireworks and ceremonies for persons taking the oath of citizenship. Indices include basic Independence Day information, a “myths and facts” section, a page on ndependence celebrations around the world, a recipe for deviled eggs, and resources for further learning.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the book. I enjoyed the full color pictures and the personal touches added by included the diverse groups of people celebrating the day. I loved the additions at the end. The recipes, the myths and facts, maps, etc. In light of the fact that many books of this nature completely fail to mention Native or African Americans, I do appreciate the three sentences about them that were included. However, this is a pretty recent book. It is time for writers to get more honest about the treatment and contributions of other groups as it relates to subjects like this. Ignoring them should just not be acceptable anymore. For those reasons, I can not rate this book higher than three stars.

[Emily Shazer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really good at describing what it is like for people in America who celebrate independence day. It went through why we celebrate it and what it is about and shows some of the traditions that American's practice on Independence day and the week leading up to it. I would definitely keep this book in my class library no matter what age because being a teacher in Chicago, there is a great chance that I will have students who are not from America, so they may want to know some of the traditions we practice as Americans, for our Independence day.

[Austin Wright · Rating 2 out of 5]

Standard vague propaganda. Read it while on a cruise-ship.