Gage has a book for you this week. We received Sweet Land of Liberty for review a few months ago and totally forgot about it! I was surprised when it came to see that the author was Callista Gingrich, Newt’s wife. How my eyes could have passed over the oh-so-popular name Gingrich I don’t know. I try to stay out of politics here because I can get a little passionate about it and wouldn’t have accepted it had I been paying attention, BUT I am happy to say that except for the main character being Ellis the elephant, this kid’s book was politics-free!
Ellis (Ellis Island ring a bell?) was sooo cute. He traveled through America’s history by reading books, how awesome is that? He is appropriately dressed for each occasion. Here he is at the first Thanksgiving…
Ellis also went to the Boston Tea Party, signing of the Declaration, visiting George Washington and Abe Lincoln, on the wagon trains as they headed west, flying with the Wright brothers, war memorial, the moon, and Washington DC.
I thought this book was top notch. It is a high quality hard cover with great illustrations. I fell in love with Ellis and know that Gage will too when we get to spend more time with this book. I think this would be a great gift. Because it includes Thanksgiving it would be a great one to take for the little ones to Thanksgiving dinner (although this page had my only quibble with history. Credit was given to God that they survived. That’s great, but there was no mention of the Indians, even though there were a few in the picture.) Now that I’ve typed that maybe it isn’t such a great Thanksgiving book, but I still think it’s a good gift.
This is a fun book that breezes through history with great illustrations and a very cute elephant. In the back it also includes a few pages of resources for each of the places Ellis visited which I found very useful.
Our recommendation of this book is in no way an endorsement of any political candidate 🙂
Author-Callista Gingrich
Illustrator-Susan Arciero
28 page hardcover
published September 2011
Ages 4-8
Stacy's Books 
This is so sweet. You reading to him. He seems to be enjoying, touching the pictures the way only a baby can do..
The illustrations look adorable, as does the reader!
Such sweet pictures!
The book sounds great, wonderful review!
This looks like a wonderful book and that is a lovely picture of Gage peeking over it!
I love the pic with him touching the book. Cute pics.
Looks like Gage is enjoying the book. I am always on the look out for books for my grand nephews!
Sometimes things get passed us because we were meant to do them ‘read them’ 😉 Love the reading time pictures.
I don’t know who is cuter … Gage or Ellis! It is a tie! Well, no, I give Gage the edge!
Except for leaving out the Indians, sounds like a great book. Don’t worry I’m sure Gage will learn all about those Indians from doing dioramas in grade school. At least that’s what we did.
Have a fab week 🙂
Looks absolutely adorable to me and I just love that top photo of Gage looking at the camera while reading his new book!
Looks like a great book to read to young children and Gage certainly looks adorable as ever!
Gage looks so attentive and just darn adorable with an open book!
OMG..Gage so interested in that book just melts my heart! Hope you have a great week.
Sounds like a fun book. Looks like Gage liked it too.
I’m glad to see Gage so engrossed in the book. He’ll be a big reader for sure. I like your humor at the end.
The pictures look so gorgeous–but Gage is such a cutie. I’m on the lookout for books for the babe, so I’ll check this one out. Though–recently elle seems more interested in eating the books than reading them. 😉
Gage is starting young and I love the pictures! He’s so adorable.