More than any other, one song traces America's history of patriotism and protest.

Everyone knows the words to "My Country, 'Tis of Thee." What most don't realize is that this iconic song has been a beacon of change for hundreds of years. Generations of protesters and civil rights pioneers have created new lyrics, beginning in royalist Britain and continuing through conflicts in colonial times, the American Revolution, the suffragist and labor movements, and the struggles for black and Native American civil rights. With spectacular illustrations by Caldecott Honor–winning artist Bryan Collier, My Country, 'Tis of Thee offers a fascinating insight into the American fight for freedom.

Claire Rudolf Murphy is a long-time history buff who loves to write stories from the viewpoint of outsiders in American history. She has written fifteen award-wining books for young readers and currently teaches at Hamline University’s MFA in Writing for Children program.

Bryan Collier grew up in Pocomoke City, Maryland. His first book, Uptown, won the Coretta Scott King Award for illustration and the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award. He has also received Caldecott Honors for his illustrations in Rosa, Dave the Potter, and Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.