The Declaration of Independence

Publishers Weekly

Infused with humor and a contagious patriotism, newcomer Fink's visual interpretation of the Declaration of Independence will help youngsters read between the sometimes puzzling lines of this monumental document. Fink breaks up this fervent, articulate proclamation into brief, elegantly hand-lettered phrases, which he pairs with etching-like artwork that evokes the period of the document s authorship and elucidates the words meaning. As the Declaration specifies the colonists grievances against King George III, the comically hyperbolic cross-hatch illustrations depict inventive symbols for the despised British rule and a range of comical parodies of the monarch. Opposite the statement He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records is a picture of an elaborate maze, with a building atop a steep cliff at its center and a caption that reads, Enter here to get to the King s meeting place. On a spread declaring that the king is a Tyrant,... unfit to be the ruler of a free people, Fink shows an empty throne with a sign announcing Be back soon. Gone to Class in Advanced Tyranny! Geo III. And with playful anachronism, the illustrator shows Patrick Henry holding a contemporary New Hampshire license plate (bearing the slogan Live Free or Die and the tag number 1776) opposite the assertion that these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States. This clever and inspiring volume concludes with a glossary and chronology of events leading up to the drafting of the Declaration. Ages 10-up. (July) Fiction Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Children's Literature

The entire text of the declaration is separated into phrases, each accompanied by a drawing intended to help explain the meaning of the words. Fink often makes his point with a humorous approach but always maintains a reverence for the document. Some of the illustrations seem to take on the nature of political cartoons, and indeed could lead to a discussion of this type of editorial. The back pages contain the uninterrupted text of the Declaration of Independence, a chronology of events leading to the decision to separate from England, a helpful glossary, selected bibliography, books for further reading, and an index. There are three major websites: The National Archives and Records Administration, Library of Congress, and Independence Hall Association which can all enhance the learning process. It is a welcome addition to collections on colonial and revolutionary American history. Most of all, this is a book to be shared and read aloud by families. Make it a tradition to read it together every July 4th. 2002, Scholastic,
— Sharon Salluzzo

School Library Journal

Gr 4-8-In this truly inspired book, Fink uses lighthearted pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations and a hand-lettered text to explain the meaning of the document, phrase by phrase. He captures the protagonists-Thomas Jefferson, along with John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston-who worked as a committee to write the Declaration. And there is a villain-England's own George III, who pretty much single-handedly, through personality, actions, and inactions, saw to it that America would revolt and sever ties with the crown. The 200-year-old words are made clear with the complementary illustrations. As an example, the wording "-it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another-" is illustrated with a pair of scissors severing a ribbon binding the Union Jack to Old Glory. And, in referring to several of George III's many misdeeds, "He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices-," the king is pictured as a puppet master, with a wigged judge as the puppet. There is no doubt where Fink's sympathies lie. This effort pairs nicely with Russell Freedman's Give Me Liberty! (Holiday, 2000), which delves more deeply into how and why the Declaration was written. Fink's work is a winner.-Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI