General Information
Title: I Pledge Allegiance
Author: Pat Mora & Libby Martinez
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Date of Publication: 2014
Illustrator: Patrice Barton
Lexile Level & Target Audience
Lexile: AD580L
Age Range: 4-6
Audience: young girls or boys, immigrants, Mexican ethnicity
Brief Summary
I Pledge Allegiance is a story about a young girl named Libby who is learning the Pledge of Allegiance with her classmates at school; simultaneously, her great-aunt Lobo (who emigrated from Mexico to the United States when she was a young girl) is practicing for when she'll recite the Pledge at a special ceremony in conjunction with obtaining her U.S. citizenship. Libby and her aunt share in this experience together, proud to be called Americans.
Evaluation: Pros & Cons
Pros:
1. The story is relatable to all students. Even though not all students will be in the same situation as Libby, all students will be current inhabitants of the United States; this universal theme is a wonderful connection point for students.
2. Immigration is presented in a positive and heartwarming light. Libby is excited about her aunt becoming a citizen, and her aunt shares in that excitement; she also explains how living in America has been a great gift to her. Libby's teacher wholeheartedly embraces aunt Lobo, too, and, at aunt Lobo's citizenship ceremony, the judge declares, "Today is a happy day."
3. The book includes helpful descriptions and explanations of the "big words" found in the Pledge of Allegiance. Not only is this a great book to use for practicing the Pledge, it's also a great book for understanding the meaning and history behind the Pledge. Libby's teacher talks about who wrote the Pledge and, throughout the book, we find definitions for big concepts like "indivisible" and "liberty and justice for all."
Cons:
1. Libby is afraid of making a mistake while she recites the Pledge. At a couple of different points in the story, Libby communicates her worry about forgetting the words of the Pledge; the book sort of "normalizes" this fear in such a way that, if I were to read it aloud, I would be sure to emphasize to my class that it wouldn't be so bad if Libby did make a mistake, that she could simply practice more and try again.
2. Libby, her mother, and her aunt are made to look rather white-skinned. This isn't an overly obvious feature (and certainly not a reason to disregard this book), but, in looking at the illustrations, these characters' skin tones look very, very close to the skin tones of the Caucasian students in the class, which is often not always the case.
Literary Elements
Symbolism: Libby's aunt talks about what the flag meant to her. Example: "The flag made me feel like this," she says [as she tucks Libby into bed], "Safe and warm."
Diverse Language: The book includes multiple Spanish words alongside their English counterparts, such as "Lobo" (wolf) and "una familia" (a family).
Simile: Aunt Lobo uses simile to explain "liberty and justice for all," saying: "This country is like one big family, una familia, that works together to take care of people who need our help."
Illustrations
Apart from the concerns I mentioned above (see item #2 under "Cons"), these illustrations are quite lovely and calming. The watercolor-esque style and colors are inviting, and the scenes portray Libby's home and classroom in a natural and believable way. Also, the text and illustrations work extremely well together; we feel very much "inside" the story as we read.
Mini-lesson Idea(s)
Something really special about this book is the way it weaves Libby and Lobo's stories together through their shared experiences. Students could write about an experience they've shared (or would like to share) with someone close to them. Alternatively, students could bring in a series of objects which represent a memory or experience they've shared with a friend or family member. In small groups, students could explain how these objects represent their memory/experience.
- Aubrey
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