READ THIS: The Biggest (and Best) Flag That Ever Flew By Rebecca C. Jones Illustrated by Charles Geer Our Coverage Sponsored by Maine Woolens
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This year, the United States celebrates the 200-year anniversary of the War of 1812, the United States’ second war for independence. “The Biggest (and best) Flag That Ever Flew,” by Rebecca C. Jones and illustrated by Charles Geer, is the true story of the Pickersgills, the family who was responsible for sewing the flag that flew over Fort McHenry during the British attack on Baltimore. The book’s plotline is mainly focused on the family sewing the largest flag in the world for the Soldiers from Fort McHenry, so that Americans could see the flag from afar and know that Baltimore had not fallen to Great Britain. As Americans know from history, the flag continued to wave throughout the night, inspiring the national anthem and greeting scared early-Americans the morning after the British invasion.
“The Biggest (and best) Flag That Ever Flew” does a fantastic job of instilling American pride in the reader. The story was vivid without being too scary. The author did a good job of describing the war with Britain while ensuring that the young readers would not be up all night in fear of a British attack. Furthermore, the book does a fantastic job emphasizing the importance of the American flag during the War of 1812. Overall, the book was a good base to educate a child about the War of 1812 and the inspiration for the national anthem.
This was a great historical children's book. The illustrations were colorful and plentiful. My son enjoyed learning about when and why the national anthem was written. We were recently in Baltimore and saw the flag flying at Fort McHenry for the bicentennial of the War of 1812. This helped him understand the important role Maryland played in the founding of this country. I would highly recommend this book. There need to be more books like this that teach the values that this country was founded upon. Schiffer publishing has a great lineup of historical books, particularly if you want to learn about the rich history of the Chesapeake.
I have always been intrigued by American history and would love to pass along my lifelong interest to my son. "The Biggest (and Best) Flag That Ever Flew" by Rebecca C. Jones is a great book to share with your little one. This book tells the true story of a little girl and her major contribution to the history of our nation. "And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there." Those famous words written by American lawyer, Francis Scott Key, reference the flag made by Caroline Pickersgill and her widowed mother. Living in Baltimore during the War of 1812, Caroline and her mother made a living sewing flags and pennants for ships that came into the harbor from all over the world. One day soldiers from Fort McHenry paid the Pickersgill Family a visit and requested that they make a flag so large that it could be seen from a great distance and everyone would know that Baltimore was safe. So, Caroline and her mother sewed and sewed and sewed. Eventually the flag was too large to continue working on in their home and they had to move to a larger location. When all was said and done, the flag thirty feet wide, forty-two feet long and weighed two hundred pounds! They had done it! They had created the "biggest and best flag that ever flew"! The flag could be seen from miles away! Francis Scott Key happened to be on a boat in the harbor, took notice of the extraordinary flag and was inspired to write what we know as "The Star Spangled Banner"! This informative and interesting book is only enhanced by the intricate artwork of Charles Geer. I highly recommend Rebecca Cole's "The Biggest (and Best) Flag That Ever Flew"; it is a wonderful book!
As a teacher, I try to keep up on books of a historical nature that would interest my students. I can't believe I've never come across this book before. I love the tale this story tells in the battle at Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 and the flag that flew there. I also am glad that this tells a true story of our flag and our National Anthem. At the end of every day, I always have a read aloud and I happened to have this book with me to read. I couldn't believe how engaged my students were as I was reading. If someone started talking, the rest of the class became upset. After I was finished reading, they asked questions like wildfire. They wanted to know more. Any time a book can get my students asking questions like that, I try find more just like it. I think this book should be a part of every classroom library!
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Young Caroline Pickersgill lives with her mother and grandmother in Baltimore, Maryland. Mrs. Pickersgill, a widow, supports herself and her daughter by making flags for the ships that sail into the city. Some soldiers from Fort McHenry come to her to order the biggest and best flag in the world, and Caroline helps make it. When the British sail up the Chesapeake Bay to destroy Baltimore during the War of 1812, the defenders at the fort beat them back. After the British sail away the next day, the flag gallantly streaming over the fort is the one Caroline and her mother had sewn. “By the dawn's early light," Francis Scott Key saw it waving "o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave." Here is a charming (and true) children's story about a little person who, in helping her widowed mother, became a part of our nation's history. Preschool to grade 2
