From Publishers Weekly Starred Review. St. George (So, You Want to Be President?) offers readers another engaging foray into U.S. history as she chronicles the journey of one of the nation's most hallowed documents. "The Declaration of Independence has had more homes than a traveling circus." Though lengthy and far-reaching in scope, the account moves swiftly, thanks to a conversational style and a sprinkling of interesting, little-known facts. Readers follow the document from its creation ("Every S looked like an F, but since that was the way people wrote back then, nobody minded") to the many times it was spirited off to secret locales during wartime (e.g., Fort Knox during WWII) to the argument over its ultimate home in Washington D.C. An often tongue-in-cheek tone (a running joke reiterates that "parchment should never be folded") and humorous, parenthetical asides ensure the story's accessibility. Hillenbrand's (Down on the Farm) mixed-media artwork fluidly captures a variety of moods, from innocent-looking children to important historical figures, contributing mightily to this entertaining history lesson. One spread depicts elder statesmen—their monogrammed britches denote which of the original 13 states they represent—comically duking it out to highlight the nascent nation's infighting. But the artist also does not shy away from grave moments: a Civil War scene depicts a soldier reeling from a wound to the chest, near a heap of abstractly outlined bodies. History buffs or not, all readers will come away better informed about this honored 2'×21/2' sheet of parchment. Ages 5-up. (May)

From School Library Journal Starred Review. Grade 3-6
Few Americans are aware that "the Declaration of Independence has had more homes than a traveling circus." St. George reveals its interesting, sometimes perilous journey across time since Thomas Jefferson penned the words in 1776. Each leg of the trip is described in bouncy, interactive prose leading to a logical conclusion and a question for readers. For example: "Wow, the official, one-and-only Declaration of Independence was set forever in Philadelphia's handsome brick Pennsylvania State House on Chestnut Street. Right? WRONG!" Readers will learn fascinating details: the original Declaration was "engrossed–that is, written in large, clear letters on parchment"–by Timothy Matlack onto a two-foot-wide by two-and-a-half-foot-long parchment. The Declaration was shuffled from place to place during the war and for five years after because the quarreling 13 states acted "like thirteen spoiled children." Hillenbrand's lively mixed-media illustrations are a perfect match for the text, filling the pages with visual energy and humor. Stylized paintings feature creative depictions of major events in American history, such as doctors holding a stethoscope and running tests on an ailing Declaration in desperate need of repair. Children will enjoy finding the eagle on every spread actively engaged in the scene. This well-researched, readable, and well-illustrated book belongs on the shelves of all public and school libraries. It's a wonderful way to learn history.
–Lee Bock, Glenbrook Elementary School, Pulaski, WI

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