Saving Lady Liberty

Here is the story of how the Statue of Liberty got its pedestal when Joseph Pulitzer, a Jewish immigrant and famous newsman, created one of the first American crowdfunding campaigns to raise money for it.

When Joseph Pulitzer first saw the Statue of Liberty's head in Paris, he shared sculptor Auguste Bartholdi's dream of seeing France's gift of friendship stand in the New York harbor. Pulitzer loved words, and the word he loved best was liberty. Frustrated that many, especially wealthy New Yorkers, were not interested in paying for the statue's needed pedestal, Pulitzer used his newspaper, the New York World, to call on all Americans to contribute. Claudia Friddell's text and Stacy Innerst's illustrations capture this inspiring story of how one immigrant brought together young and old, rich and poor, to raise funds for the completion of a treasured national monument.

For children’s author Claudia Friddell, the next best thing to time travel is discovering and sharing exciting real life stories from long ago.  A former elementary school teacher, Claudia loves talking to students and teachers about the magic of bringing history to life through books. When she’s not visiting schools, digging for treasure in the library, or writing at her home in Baltimore, she’s reading, walking, and kayaking on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. To learn more about Claudia and her books, log onto www.claudiafriddell.com.

Stacy Innerst is the award-winning illustrator of multiple picture books, including Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Jonah Winter, The Music in George's Head by Suzanne Slade, and Thomas Jefferson Grows a Nation by Peggy Thomas. Visit stacyinnerst.com.