Betsy Ross

PreS-Gr 3—Fourteen spreads with four to six rhythmic words on each one tell the story of the first American flag. The title page shows George Washington on his horse conversing with the seamstress in front of her shop. Then, "Betsy ripped./Rip, rip." The next spread reads, "Seven rich,/Crimson strips," and, finally, "Betsy grinned./Grin, grin." "Old Glory whipped/In the wind." The large, simple text, paired with the irresistible appliqué art, makes this a perfect introduction to the Stars and Stripes. Using cotton fabric, embroidery thread, dye, paint, and linoleum-block prints, Lloyd captures the period, hard work, and ingenuity of this favorite colonial figure. Close-ups of each step of the process, coupled with images of the smiling woman in her white cap, long pink dress with white collar and apron, and black lace shoes, scissors snipping by candlelight, re-create the experience for the youngest readers. When youngsters read the final pages, they will feel the same pride in our flag as its creator must have felt. An author's note explains that Washington's original sketch called for six-point stars as he assumed that five-points would be too difficult to cut. Apparently, Ross showed him how, with a series of five folds, the latter could be cut with a single clip of the scissors. A final page shows children how to make their own "Betsy Ross Stars" using paper or fabric.—Barbara Auerbach, PS 217, Brooklyn, NY