I love how this ambitious book juxtaposes several ideas into a multi-layered tale. The first is of the first 24 hours of a girl attending a new school, who has a difficult time trying to introduce herself to her new class; we only learn that her name is “America.”

The second layer is the warm welcome she gets from the teacher who, after America’s difficult day, lends her several books about American heroes which inspire her to try again due to their brave examples of adventure, truth, character and opportunity.

The next layer is the subjective, first-person view of the story from her point of view where we see the story proceed. We also see that she (eventually) aligns herself with a living version of the Statue of Liberty. While one shadow of her shows that to not be literally true, she is certainly a personification of her (if not Lady Liberty herself).

Based on that is another layer which suggests that, while America of late may have lost its confidence and hopes for a brighter future, that by remembering the successes and bravery of our heroes in the past, we can emulate both their vision and success. It’s a lot to convey in a single children’s book, yet my family finds it inspiring, fun to discuss, and an enjoyable book to read over and over again.

Another highlight of the book is the very fine watercolor illustrations, which are delightful in many ways. Overall, this inspiring and thoughtful book is very well done and may well become a modern treasure for what is sure to become its many, many readers.