The Circle Line Cruise to the Statue of Liberty appeared in Publisher’s Weekly, April 8, 2021!

“A perfect celebration of history.”—Dr. Sue Ann Martin, The Children’s Bookshelf, WCMU Public Radio. This review also includes activities and questions for readers. https://radio.wcmu.org/post/childrens-bookshelf-let-liberty-rise

“Chana Stiefel’s charming and immediate writing style is perfectly paired with Chuck Groenink’s beautiful, slyly humorous illustrations. Here is an inspiring story about the power we have when we all work together.” – A MIGHTY GIRL

“This book is a gem. The writing is smart and thoughtful, with obvious research and attention-to-detail, as are the illustrations. I learned so much about the American icon in this children’s book than I think I’ve learned about it through the course of my life.”—Leslie Lindsay’s Blog, Always with a Book 

“Vivid and cheerful … Stiefel depicts the shared effort as a shining example of ingenuity and common purpose for a diverse nation — a battle to help the symbol of welcome, freedom and hope lift her torch to welcome waves of immigrants into New York Harbor.” – THE VIRGINIAN PILOT
Bookshelf Momma: Review and giveaway on Instagram

“I loved this heartwarming story. . . . Very well written, I love finding out things about American history I didn’t know. The illustrations are so beautiful.”

“A remarkable piece of history. It’s fun and it’s inspiring and this book obviously makes for a good addition to a classroom too. There are even historical photographs of the construction – and lots of information in the back of the book. Definitely very well constructed”—Review from @dadsuggests on Instagram.

“This lively nonfiction tale honors the joint effort that allows her to tower today, ‘America’s symbol of freedom and hope.’” – WASHINGTON PARENT

“Supplies the context for a legendary symbol, in a story about America’s strongest values of community and optimism.” – JEWISH BOOK COUNCIL

“FANTASTIC BOOK, but first: Though technically a picture book, there is so much wonderful information here beyond the picture book genre; this book tells us how Lady Liberty came to be – it’s her biography! … The illustrations showing children empowered by all of this is so delightful.” – THE SYDNEY TAYLOR SCHMOOZE

Interview with Chana and author Maria Marshall on the Picture Book Buzz.

“This is a very educational book about the history of our Statue of Liberty. After reading this book, I would like to visit New York to see Lady Liberty and all the names of the schoolchildren who donated their money. I thought it was very smart of Mr. Pulitzer to think of a way to encourage people to donate. It was very inspiring to hear the story of how pennies and nickels of thousands of children and the rich and the poor got them enough money to build the base. I think parents and children who like to read inspiring stories will definitely enjoy this book.” – KIDS BOOK BUZZ

“Colorful and educational … This is a great book to read with children because there’s a main story and then separate thought bubbles to express what the characters are thinking or feeling. I also appreciated just how diverse the characters are and loved seeing the Black family at the dinner table listening to the father read about the Statue. The colors used are soft and soothing and the little details like appropriate attire for the era make the story come to life.” – THIS BLISS LIFE

Review from Unleashing Readers: “Wow! I did not know about this story, and it is really quite inspirational. As a person who values community and coming together for shared causes, I fell in love with this book.” Read the full review here.”

“Fascinating … Chana Stiefel’s text is not only accessible but inviting. She’s managed to convey a lot in a small space. Back matter, including a timeline, factoids and historical photographs add to the interest. And Chuck Groenink’s charming illustrations bring life and humor to the tale. This is a lovely picture book that will serve well in both home and school settings.” – CRACKING THE COVER

Great to see LET LIBERTY RISE on this list of The Ultimate List of Kids Books About Summer! “Fascinating … This captivating story will inspire children and teach them about the one of the largest statutes of its time that welcomed immigrants to America with the hopes of freedom and opportunity.” – HAPPILY EVER ELEPHANTS

Here’s the story behind the story in the Jewish Link of NJ.

Great article about LET LIBERTY RISE! in the Bergen Record!