(2) 4-6 "On this day, my father was murdered because he said a prayer." So begins the saga of thirteen-year-old Noah Cope, who becomes caught up in the American Revolution. Noah's father had been a pastor and a Loyalist in the (fictional) town of Tullbury, Massachusetts. Upon his death, Noah's family moves to Boston, where the teen gets a job at the (nonfictional) Green Dragon tavern, spying for the British. There a coworker, Jolla, who is Black, becomes Noah's friend. He challenges Noah to think more about freedom, and Noah comes to realize how "tangled" everything is: "The rebels claimed they fought for liberty but tyrannized those who disagreed with them, such as my father. The British said they upheld English rights but denied them to others. Both sides supported slavery." At story's end, Noah and Jolla are loyal to each other, and for them, that is enough. Avi's narrative, told through dated entries beginning on April 1, 1774, and concluding on March 17, 1776, ebbs and flows with the tides of war, gaining intensity as the Battles of Lexington and Concord loom and slowing down during the doldrums of the long siege of Boston. The story is spiked with lively dialogue, especially effective as Jolla and Noah sort out how they feel about "being in a place where there are all kinds of slavery." An extensive author's note points out how the ideals of the American Revolution and definitions of the words patriot, traitor, and loyalty are still being debated today.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2022

(3) YA This coming-of-age novel in verse centers on seventeen-year-old best friends Noah, who's white, and Walt (a.k.a. Swing), who's black. A conversational tone belies the multivalence of this story about the complexities of friendship, romance, patriotism, and prejudice. Life seems on the upswing until a wrenching, pulled-from-the-headlines incident shatters the boys' lives and underscores Noah's feeling that "America is sometimes / not so beautiful."

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Kadir Nelson. Spare, powerful prose presents the American flag and the American landscape and people in parallel: "Sew together one nation / So together one nation." Evocative paintings portray the natural scenery as well as images from history, including civil rights marchers, long rows of pioneers in covered wagons, and men walking on the moon. A refreshingly unsentimental yet hopeful look at America.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(4) 4-6 American Citizenship series. This volume broadly describes what constitutes the American identity, including a brief history, national symbols, how patriotism is shown, national celebrations, noted national landmarks, and Americans' shared experiences (sports, foods, music, etc.). Primary sources and photos extend the serviceable text, but related core-standards-geared prompts and activities may distract general researchers. "Fast Facts" and discussion questions are appended. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) K-3 Ten renowned illustrators, including Bryan Collier, Raúl Colón, and Diane Goode, bring the words of "America the Beautiful" to life; each striking spread also presents an inspirational presidential quote in the side margin. Informative back matter includes a key to national landmarks and symbols; full lyrics; a note on democracy; and biographical information on Bates, author of the poem-turned-patriotic-ballad.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) K-3 Looking Glass Library: Our Nation's Pride series. Illustrated by Todd Ouren. This series examines various aspects of United States history, focusing on holidays, symbols, and places that have come to represent America. Though the writing can be choppy, the texts are generally informative and accessible. Impressionistic illustrations (some muddy) bring the subjects to life. "Fun Facts" are appended. Glos., ind. Review covers these Looking Glass Library: Our Nation's Pride titles: The National Anthem, The Capitol Building, The Statue of Liberty, The Pledge of Allegiance, The United States Flag, and Veterans Day.

Reviewer: Aimee Chevrette Bear

(3) YA When Kevin saves popular-girl Leah from a serial killer, he is instantly elevated from nobody to hero. He's then demoted to pariah after removing patriotic magnets from his car. The ensuing debate over true patriotism proves particularly relevant to Kevin's father, a veteran. Kevin's questionable motives and family troubles spice up a thoughtful, timely free-speech parable.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(3) K-3 Raczka mines the works of eighteen artists for notions of America's identity. The text uses contrasts in language ("America is natural wonders / America is man-made marvels") and art styles (paintings, photographs, sculptures) to effectively convey a theme that America is heterogeneous in history, thinking, and style. Thumbnails and information about the works are appended.

Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer

(4) K-3 Looking Glass Library: Our Nation's Pride series. Illustrated by Todd Ouren. This series examines various aspects of United States history, focusing on holidays, symbols, and places that have come to represent America. Though the writing can be choppy, the texts are generally informative and accessible. Impressionistic illustrations (some muddy) bring the subjects to life. "Fun Facts" are appended. Glos., ind. Review covers these Looking Glass Library: Our Nation's Pride titles: The National Anthem, The Capitol Building, The Statue of Liberty, The Pledge of Allegiance, The United States Flag, and Veterans Day.

Reviewer: Aimee Chevrette Bear

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Warren Kimble. Folk artist Kimble provides pictorial accompaniment to the familiar patriotic song. Each arresting image is rendered in acrylics on distressed wood, and the surface's unique textural qualities lend depth and intensity to the scene or object depicted. The text's ridiculously large font size is the only misstep. Music, song notes, and flag facts are appended.

Reviewer: Amy Lois Cohn

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Ard Hoyt. For Presidents' Day, Caleb's teacher asks the class to "make something showing patriotism." Caleb is stumped until he realizes that his soldier dad, who is serving overseas, "is patriotism." Caleb's epiphany is kind of adult, but many communities will welcome this opportunity to discuss the concerns of children with parents in the military. The illustrations convey Caleb's pride.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow

(3) K-3 The first verse of the patriotic anthem (unattributed to Katharine Lee Bates here) is presented on double-page spreads that feature Sabuda's signature pop-up illustrations. Readers will be awed by the intricately crafted cutouts depicting the Golden Gate Bridge, Mount Rushmore, a Mississippi River steamship, and the Statue of Liberty. Rendered mostly in pure white, Sabuda's paper creations have an enduring, classic quality.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) PS Illustrated by Per-Henrik Gurth. Beginning with A, which "is for Apple Pie, warm from the oven. Mmmm!", this alphabet book walks the littlest reader through some of the things, such as baseball, camping, ice skating, quilts, and zoos, that make our country great. The flat, digitally rendered art featuring smiling, cartoony animals is disarming, which is refreshing in a kids' book about patriotism.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA Annie Sinclair's home in Virginia frequently shifts between Union and Confederate control as the Civil War rages around it. Witnessing the devastation of property and lives around her, Annie begins to question the purpose of the war. While the historical content is interesting, the story is overly sentimental. An author's note is appended. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Juliet S. King

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Sharon Lane Holm. This book consists of step-by-step instructions for making twenty-two craft projects, each with a patriotic motif, including lapel pins, magnets, and various puppets. The crafts are simple and inviting, but unfortunately, the cartoony illustrations don't give the reader an idea of how a completed project should look. The materials and tools needed are easily obtainable; some projects require adult assistance.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(2) 4-6 In alternating chapters covering the years 1940 to 1945, two Korean siblings describe their lives during the Japanese military occupation. Tae-yul admires their uncle, who works for the resistance; younger sister Sun-hee is more like their father, subdued and introspective, rebelling in quiet but significant ways. The novel provides an accessible introduction to this painful history.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2002

(4) K-3 Character Education series. Each "chapter" comprises a concise main paragraph and a full-page color photograph of people demonstrating patriotism, from sports fans waving American flags to kids saying the Pledge of Allegiance. While the clear introductions of concepts such as democracy are useful, the author is sometimes categorical ("Patriotic people make the United States safer and stronger"). Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Nell Beram