My Country, 'tis of Thee: How One Song Reveals the History of Civil Rights - Hardcover

Murphy, Claire Rudolf

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0805082263 ISBN 13: 9780805082265

Publisher: Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, 2014

Synopsis

More than any other, one song traces America's history of patriotism and protest.

Everyone knows the words to "My Country, 'Tis of Thee." What most don't realize is that this iconic song has been a beacon of change for hundreds of years. Generations of protesters and civil rights pioneers have created new lyrics, beginning in royalist Britain and continuing through conflicts in colonial times, the American Revolution, the suffragist and labor movements, and the struggles for black and Native American civil rights. With spectacular illustrations by Caldecott Honor-winning artist Bryan Collier, My Country, 'Tis of Thee offers a fascinating insight into the American fight for freedom.

About this title

Review:

"Murphy revisits pivotal moments - social, political, martial, in which the familiar song was co-opted and re-lyricized as a partisan theme song . . . Will indeed be helpful in connecting readers to songs and recordings." --BCCB

"An intriguing new take on a beloved patriotic song." --Booklist

"A familiar patriotic song culminates in a hymn to 'Great God Our King'." --School Library Journal

"This examination of a well-known piece of music and the activism it inspired makes for a fascinating way to explore history." --Kirkus Reviews

About the Author:

Claire Rudolf Murphy is a long-time history buff who loves to write stories from the viewpoint of outsiders in American history. She has written fifteen award-wining books for young readers and currently teaches at Hamline University's MFA in Writing for Children program.

Bryan Collier grew up in Pocomoke City, Maryland. His first book, Uptown, won the Coretta Scott King Award for illustration and the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award. He has also received Caldecott Honors for his illustrations in Rosa, Dave the Potter, and Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

About this edition

• Publisher: Henry Holt Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0805082263
• ISBN 13: 9780805082265
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 45
• Illustrator: Collier Bryan