Starred Review ALA Booklist (Sat Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2002)

Starred Review Cheney, wife of the vice president, states that her purpose in writing this book is to inspire in her grandchildren a love and appreciation of America and its ideals--and by extension to imbue this esteem in the rest of America's children. As the subtitle suggests, the book's organization is alphabetical: G is for God , in whom we trust. H is for Heroes and I for Ideals . J is for Jefferson . K is for King . L is for Lincoln . M is for Madison . N is for Native Americans , who came here first. Typically, each entry appears on a single page, accompanied by several quotations and/or facts, which are illustrated with a number of attractive ink, watercolor, and colored-pencil pictures. Several pages of appended notes offer background information on topics raised. Glasser's upbeat illustrations feature a multicultural cast of children and adults portraying and celebrating aspects of American history. An inviting choice, especially for parents and grandparents looking for a patriotic book to share with children.

Horn Book (Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 2006)

Oxenbury, who received the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1999 for her illustrations for Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, has now illustrated the companion volume. Her thoroughly modern Alice, once again dressed in jumper, tights, and tennis shoes, skips her way through encounters with Tweedledum and Tweedledee, the White Queen, and Humpty Dumpty.

Kirkus Reviews (Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2002)

What does it mean to be an American? In her first effort for children, Cheney attempts to answer this question as well as encapsulate the entire history of the US through the familiar device of an alphabet book. Glasser's ( You Can't Take a Balloon into the Museum of Fine Arts , below, etc.) cheerful watercolor-and-ink illustrations are the greatest strength of this ambitious project, with endearing children of all colors, kinds, and cultures, and dozens of historical figures and sites rendered in carefully researched detail. Each page or spread includes a topic sentence, several smaller related vignettes, a large initial letter framing a related illustration, and often a border incorporating a hand-lettered quotation. Packing all this information onto the page requires a crowded, busy design (a challenge met quite well by the designer), and some very small treatments of type, which are really too small for most children to read by themselves. The multiple illustrations on each page preclude reading the volume aloud to a group, although the information and the concepts will work well in elementary classrooms. The most likely use for this is for teachers and parents who want to teach their children about US history, citizenship, and patriotic concepts, probably focusing on just a few pages rather than the whole volume at once. Though the concept and busy design require some extra effort, this well-meant exploration of our history and heritage packs a huge amount of information between its covers. (author's note) (Nonfiction. 6-11)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

The Second Lady teams up with Glasser (the You Can't Take a Balloon series) to create this well-intentioned ("I wrote this book because I want my grandchildren to understand how blessed we are," writes Cheney in her introduction) if rather listless alphabet book celebrating the United States and its history. Rendered in ink, watercolor washes and colored pencil, Glasser's detailed, bustling art features multiple images on each spread and inventive borders containing pictures and brief factoids, yet the spreads have a slightly washed-out quality. The alphabetical entries include renowned individuals (Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln), milestones in this country's history (The Constitution, The Declaration of Independence) and generic terms (heroes, ideals, oath, patriotism, suffrage, valor). As the alphabet winds down, Cheney strikes a sentimental note, drawing readers into her narrative with her assertion that "Y is for <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Youand all you will be in this greatest of countries, the land of the free." Glasser then provides simulated snapshots of children with captions denoting their career aspirations (e.g., "future art critic" and "test pilot of tomorrow"). Although many of the anecdotes and quotations from presidents and other patriots appear in a tiny type face, children will likely pore over the pages to glean the interesting tidbits offered. Cheney's concluding notes provide details about some of the individuals or events mentioned on the prior pages. A competent though less than compelling tribute. All ages. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(May)

<EMPHASIS TYPE=""BOLD"">FYI:<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">The author's net proceeds from the sale of the book are being donated to the American Red Cross and to projects that foster appreciation of American history. A portion of the publisher's proceeds from the sale of the book will also be donated to the Red Cross.

School Library Journal (Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2002)

Gr 2-5 In this alphabetically arranged "Patriotic Primer," sample entries include "H is for Heroes and I for Ideals . Heroesremind us of our nation's ideals and how important it is to live up to them." Portrayed among the heroes, along with firefighters, teachers, and astronauts, are "elected leaders," which sounds uncomfortably self-serving coming from the wife of the vice president. For a country founded on the notion of the separation of church and state, God seems to pop up at every turn, even serving for the letter G: "for God in whom we trust." "P is for the Patriotism that fills our hearts with pride." Each letter is given at least a full page of captioned, informative drawings in ink, watercolor washes, and colored pencils. Quotes and facts frequently frame the oversized pages. "Notes on the Text" provides additional information. However, the final quote by Ronald Reagan and the large feel-good jacket photo of the author and a suitable rainbow array of children reinforce the feeling that this is a none-too-subtle paid political advertisement. Dona Ratterree, New York City Public Schools