What’s the Big Deal About Americans

What is at the heart of Americans’ collective identity and strength? Their far-flung roots, Shamir says in this latest installment of the civic-minded What’s the Big Deal series: “at some point, all of us were new to this land.” Those backstories—difficult, happy, and tragic—have led to a “rainbow assortment of people” who represent an “array of languages and backgrounds, talents and interests, hopes and beliefs” and who possess an inextinguishable inventive spirit (Waffle cones! Safe elevators! The Apgar test!). As the peppy text offers facts about famous and, less frequently, infamous moments in the American story, Faulkner breaks the content into visually digestible chunks with stylish editorial watercolors; invariably, however, the book has the feel of a March of History mural. Faulkner does leave readers with one image that is undeniably thought-provoking: an America whose entry door is locked tight. Ages 4–8. [em](June) [/em]