"Who Needs a Statue? addresses not just who is worthy of commemoration but why we need statues at all. Statues help us remember, of course, and they honor worthy people; each also tells a story, which is what Eve LaPlante and Margy Burns Knight do in their brief biographies, rendered with economy and insight... Who Needs a Statue? is meant to provoke thought and to start discussions and to show that history is never a settled matter, and that what we value today may not be quite the same as what was valued in the past, or what may be valued in the future.."--Carl Rollyson "The New York Sun" (11/13/2024 12:00:00 AM)
Expressive illustrations captured with a dynamic color paletteportray kids posing next to sculptures, imitating poses, or seemingly engaged in conversation, adding immediacy to the bronze and marble works. Ample back matter provides additionalbiographical information. This inclusive and fresh approach to communities will pep up localhistory collections. Starred Review--Kathleen McBroom "Booklist" (11/1/2024 12:00:00 AM)
A reportorial work that opens conversations about public representation... LaPlante, making a children's book debut, and Knight (Africa Is Not a Country) introduce sculptures across the country that immortalize people of color and women... Paintings by Delinois (Greetings, Leroy) show scenes from the subjects' lives as well as the statues in their setting.-- "Publishers Weekly" (9/20/2024 12:00:00 AM)
Powerful... A gallery of intrepid American groundbreakers, pathfinders, and activists who have earned commemorative statues... Deserving but less prominent luminaries shine more brightly here.-- "Kirkus Reviews" (7/19/2024 12:00:00 AM)