A Feast of Freedom

Gr 3—6—The City Tavern, a pedigreed Philadelphia institution, bore witness to much of the behind-the-scenes wrangling and politicking of a country on the verge of independence. When all those intense and heady days at Carpenters' Hall and the Pennsylvania State House (Independence Hall) came to a close, it was to the City Tavern that people headed to eat, drink, gossip, and hash things over. This book's initial, chronological spreads cover the building's conception, the basic floor plans, the importance of its location to both trade and politics, and how people ate, partied, did business, and kept up with the news in the late 1700s. Later spreads describe the building's historical connections. Paul Revere's ride, both Continental Congresses, the Declaration of Independence, Washington's meeting with Lafayette, the first Independence Day, and the writing of the Constitution are a few of the commemorated events. Closing pages include a recipe for corn bread, a time line, and an update on the City Tavern as it now stands. A Disneyesque mouse in a tricornered hat leads readers through the pages, adding a touch of humor with brief quips in speech bubbles. The figures in the full-color illustrations are slightly out of focus, as if viewed through a long lens. The text is set on one side of each spread, often on a parchmentlike background. The map on the endpapers locates the City Tavern in old Philadelphia, and a foreword provides context. Add this title for a fresh look at a requisite time in U.S. history.—Carol S. Surges, McKinley Elementary School, Wauwatosa, WI