National Monuments of the U.S.A

Gr 2-4—What is a national monument? This question is answered right at the start of this comprehensive study of America’s diverse monuments. Divided into eight regional chapters, pictographic maps pinpoint each of the monuments explored, while spreads describe the areas featured. It’s full of intriguing facts to keep young historians’ interest such as: $6 million of the money needed to renovate the Statue of Liberty in 1980 came from money raised by schoolchildren across the country; June Pride Month is in honor of the uprising on June 28, 1969, at Stonewall to fight for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. Walker’s text is informative but also beautifully written. He casts the monuments in a positive light but also shares the darker past some of them have. Walker speaks often to readers, inviting them to uncover more about these monuments and seek inspiration to work toward a better world. There are no photographs, but Turnahm’s artwork clearly depicts each monument; it is visually appealing to have all the pictures drawn in the artist’s style.