Emma's Poem

March 15, 2010
Emma Lazarus (1849–1887) was a child of privilege. But her dedication to the impoverished refugees who shared her Jewish faith transcended the conventions of class and gender (“At that time in the 1880s people believed that a fine lady like Emma should not mingle with poor people”), and inspired her to create the poem found on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. Her now familiar words—“Give me your tired, your poor”—transformed it from its original intent, as a gift of friendship from France, into a symbol, a promise of hope and refuge for immigrants. Glaser's (Hoppy Hanukkah!
) concise narration, reminiscent of blank verse, may feel a little chilly at first glance, but her authorial restraint actually helps readers make a more direct connection to the still-radical spirit behind the poem's ornate, distancing language. Nivola (Planting the Trees of Kenya
), however, may be a little too close to Glaser's aesthetic to make this book wholly satisfying. The flattened perspectives and tidy delicacy of her watercolor and gouache paintings tend to dampen the story's emotional urgency. Ages 5–8.

February 1, 2010
Grades K-3 Growing up in a wealthy Jewish American family in the late nineteenth century, Emma Lazarus only knew people / who had plenty of everything. But in New Yorks harbor, she saw impoverished new immigrants, tired and hungry, sad and sick, many having fled persecution, and she defied both the prevailing view that women should keep quiet and the widespread prejudice that immigrants would ruin the country. The art and words are moving in this picture book, which pairs free verse with detailed, full-page paintings in watercolor, ink, and gouache to tell the history behind Lazarus famous inscription on the Statue of Liberty. Lazarus complete poem, The New Colossus, from which the statues lines are drawn, appears at the books end, along with a picture of the statue today. Sepia-tone family photos on the back flap show the writer and artists own immigrant roots, which will echo with contemporary kids. Pair this with the feature Core Collection: The New Immigrant Story, which appeared in the August 2005 issue of Booklist.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)

March 1, 2010
Gr 2-4-A gentle tribute to Emma Lazarus, very much in the style of Barbara Cooney's "Eleanor" (Viking, 1996). Glaser describes the poet as a child of privilege who was moved by the plight of immigrants in the 1880s. On a visit to Ward's Island, "her heart hurt to see them." She began helping them to learn English and get jobs, and she increased awareness of their plight through her poetry and other writings. Asked, along with other writers of the time such as Mark Twain and Walt Whitman, to write a poem to raise money for a pedestal for the Statue of Liberty, she composed one that became part of the fabric of America. Nivola's delicately composed watercolor and gouache paintings appear in frames on each page, with a few lines of potent text in clean white space either underneath or to the side. The pictures, with their slight folk-art feel, capture both the time and action of the story, while the text illuminates the woman. An author's note and the full text of the poem complete the book. A worthwhile addition for most collections."Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2010
Glaser's account of how Emma Lazarus came to write her iconic poem is brief, yet telling--especially when complemented by Nivola's eloquent illustrations. Her rectilinear compositions and poses; generalized figures; and bright, limited palette capture New York City's opulent upper crust and the indigent yet dignified newcomers with equal skill. An author's note and the text of the poem are appended.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

May 1, 2010
Glaser's account of how Emma Lazarus came to write her iconic poem "The New Colossus" is brief, its language far simpler than the sonnet itself (which begins, "Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, / With conquering limbs astride from land to land"). Brief, yet telling -- especially when complemented by Nivola's eloquent scenes of the needy immigrants Lazarus befriended, bravely ignoring the customs and prejudices of her privileged class. That many were Jewish, as she was, awakened her interest and empathy. She devoted herself to helping them learn English and find jobs, and to writing poems and articles to champion them. Her most famous poem was responsible for making the connection in the public mind between the statue, France's gift of friendship to the United States, and those "huddled masses yearning to breathe free." Nivola's rectilinear compositions and poses, her generalized figures, and her bright, limited palette recall Barbara Cooney's period scenes, capturing New York City's opulent upper crust and the indigent yet dignified newcomers with equal skill. An excellent introduction to both Lady Liberty and the poem. An author's note and the text of the poem are appended.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)