A tale of two cities.

In her left hand she holds a book whose cover reads "JULY IV MDCCLXXVI," the date of the signing of America's Declaration of Independence. Under her left foot is a broken chain, symbol of the end of slavery.

The Statue of Liberty pays homage to what is best about America, but it was the idea of two Frenchmen. Living under the harsh rule of Emperor Napoleon III, Edouard Laboulaye and Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi wanted to remind their countrymen that tyranny is not inevitable, that citizens have rights which no government can take from them.

It took two decades of planning, fundraising, designing, and building for their dream to cross the ocean. Now, 125 years after Liberty was placed on her pedestal in New York Harbor, she continues to inspire people all over the world. So does her story.

Reviews
"...Mann writes a fascinating chronicle, well enhanced by archival photographs and the illustrations. Witschonke's full-color drawings echo the art and feel of the period, and the associated descriptions enhance the text. The newspaper reproductions offer a glimpse at the reactions to the Statue of Liberty and an open window into its journey from France to Bedloe's Island. Mann has created a historically accurate, brilliant book about a symbol of American freedom."

School Library Journal

"...the story of how Lady Liberty was conceived, constructed and bestowed makes a compelling tale. . . . Mann takes the statue from Edouard Laboulaye's pie-in-the-sky proposal at a dinner party in 1865 to the massive opening ceremonies in 1886. Along the way, she highlights the techniques that sculptor Bartholdi used to scale up his ambitious model successfully and the long struggle against public indifference and skepticism on both sides of the Atlantic to fund both the monument itself and its base. Witschonke supplements an array of period photos and prints with full-page or larger painted reconstructions of Bartholdi's studio and workshop, of the statue's piecemeal creation and finally of the Lady herself, properly copper colored as she initially was, presiding over New York's crowded harbor. As she still does... this new telling is worth the read."

Kirkus Reviews

"The Statue of Liberty is the newest addition to Mann's highly acclaimed Wonders of the World series. Full of interesting facts an excellent collection of prints and photos, about the subject at hand and the time period. Well researched and a compelling read..."

Baker & Taylor CATS staff review

"The Statue of Liberty's history comes alive in this Wonders of the World series title. Following an overview of France and America's relationship, Mann introduces readers to Édouard Laboulaye, who conceived the idea in 1865 to honor the countries' friendship and America's commitment to liberty and democracy, and sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, who made Laboulaye's dream a reality. Throughout, Liberty's journey—from initial sketches to fund-raising, construction, and scale challenges to the heralded 1886 New York Harbor unveiling and, ultimately, its establishment as an icon and landmark—is well conveyed through descriptively detailed text, abundant period photos, and Witschonke's intricate color illustrations, which excel at showing the scale of the statue (men stepping their way into the statue's enormous foot, for instance). A time line, glossary, statue measurements, index, and selected bibliography are appended."

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