Description:

Every October 28th Tony and his extended Italian-American family take the ferry to Liberty Island and have a picnic to celebrate the Statue of Liberty's birthday. Tony thinks this yearly outing is dumb because the Statue is not real, but his grandmother responds, 'She's not alive... But she's certainly real. And so is what she stands for.' Tony sees a family who has recently emigrated and is moved by how much the Statue means to them. These new Americans help Tony understand why his family has a picnic in October every year, and for the first time he joins enthusiastically in their celebration. The illustrations suggest a cold, blustery day in a vibrant and culturally diverse New York City.