Her Right Foot is a special book. Conversational in tone, it begins in the heart of France because the Statue of Liberty began in France. Most of us know that it was given to the United States by the people of France to commemorate our country’s first 100 years. We also know that this colossal statue stands in New York harbor and that the lamp Liberty holds high has been a beacon, over many years, for immigrants arriving in a new land. What we may not know about is the phenomenal detail its construction involved, and that it was first assembled piece by piece in France, disassembled and shipped across the sea to America, where it was reassembled for its dedication. Author Dave Eggers invites readers, in a delightfully witty way, to discover fact after fact about the Statue of Liberty. Her copper skin is no thicker than two pennies, and it was brown before it became oxidized to the distinctive green we see today! Do you know what the seven spikes on Liberty’s crown represent? And have you observed that the book she holds in her left hand reads “July 4, 1776”—the date on which the Declaration of Independence was signed? And, to the main point of Egger’s book and something most of us probably have not noticed: the Statue of Liberty’s right leg is in mid-stride, the heel of her foot above the pedestal on which she stands. “She is going somewhere! She is on the move!” Thus we can surmise, says Eggers, that as a symbol of freedom the Statue of Liberty cannot stand still: ”Liberty and freedom from oppression are not things you get or grant by standing around like some kind of statue.” Shawn Harris’s artwork is the perfect complement to the story—energetic, expressive, and engaging. Readers of all ages will be inspired to move into the future with courage and conviction—and with a heightened understanding of what a symbol can impart. Ages 5 and up.
