The Star Spangled Banner

by Ingri d'Aulaire, Edgar Parin d'Aulaire

Published in 1942 shortly after America joined the Allied forces to fight Hitler's march across Europe, the d'Aulaires hoped in this way to contribute to the war effort and the nation's pride in the national anthem. With their remarkable skill in four-color lithographs, the artists have depicted seminal scenes of American life alongside the verses of the anthem. Other scenes include pioneers building a log cabin, the battle of Fort McHenry, Pilgrims arriving on the Mayflower, soldiers marching in formation, and the heroic icons of Washington and Lincoln. With a sense of heartfelt patriotism and devotion to freedom, the artists have captured the spirit of the anthem in these vibrant scenes depicting American life. 36pg

Genres: History, Picture Books, Childrens, Music, Nonfiction, American History, Read For School

36 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2001

About the author

Ingri d'Aulaire (1904-1980) was an American children's artist and illustrator, who worked in collaboration with her husband and fellow artist, Edgar Parin d'Aulaire. Born Ingri Mortenson in Kongsburg, Norway, she studied art in Norway, Germany and France, and met Edgar Parin d'Aulaire when she was a student in Munich. They married in 1925, and immigrated to the USA shortly thereafter, settling in Brooklyn in 1929. After pursuing separate careers initially, the couple turned to illustrating children's books together, releasing their first collaborative effort, The Magic Rug, in 1931. They settled in Wilton, Connecticut in 1941, and lived there until their deaths in the 1980s. Awarded the 1940 Caldecott Medal for their picture-book biography of Abraham Lincoln, the d'Aulaires published other children's biographies, as well as some notable works on Greek and Norse mythology. (source: Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

"a story of the original composition
"

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the cute art style and the plethora of patriotic images.

The only problem is the lack of diversity shown - pretty much all white families with a few black families - but this was written in the 1940s.

[Abrielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rated this book only five stars because that's what Goodreads allows.

But Betsy Ross rated the flag 13 stars. And our flag that we have now is rated 50 stars.