Saving Lady Liberty: Joseph Pulitzer's Fight for the Statue of Liberty

PreS-Gr 4--This nonfiction picture book sheds light on Joseph Pulitzer's connection to Lady Liberty and his role in bringing the American icon to the United States. Born in 1847 in Mako, Hungary, Pulitzer moved to America to fight in the Civil War and went on to become a successful newspaper publisher and philanthropist. At the 1878 Paris World's Fair, he became fascinated with the Statue of Liberty and began to actively campaign to bring the statue to the States. He eventually reached out to fellow Americans through his newspaper and offered to print the stories of anyone who made a donation. Young readers will particularly enjoy reproductions of donation letters from kids, pledging money to support the cause. Innerst uses watercolor and acrylic paint, with some ink drawings. Back matter includes fun facts about the Statue of Liberty and Pulitzer, a bibliography, an afterword, a time line, and photos of the statue during its construction and inauguration. VERDICT Although biographies about Pulitzer aren't likely to fly off the shelf, this one is a good jumping-off point for discussions of civic responsibility and philanthropy. A solid, if somewhat additional, purchase for most libraries.--Jennifer Knight, North Olympic Library System, Port Angeles, WA