Review: Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet

Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sweet, Melissa. 2011. Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. ISBN 9780547199450

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Balloons Over Broadway is a charming biography of Tony Sarg, the man responsible for the creation of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons. When Tony was young, he was interested in how toys moved so he created marionettes. When he was a young adult in London, he began creating puppets and when he moved to New York City, he caught the eye of R.H. Macy. Macy was the owner of Macy’s Department Store, and he wanted Tony to create puppets for the store’s holiday window display. These became so popular that when Macy created a holiday parade for his employees, Tony was given the task of making puppet balloons. Eventually, Tony created a way for the balloons to rise high into the air and be articulated from below, allowing to be seen by everyone in the crowd.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Melissa Sweet has given her audience a wonderful peek into a part of history that is not well known. How many people watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, never knowing how it started or who created the floats rising high over street level? The book is organized in chronological order from Sarg’s childhood to the balloons he created for Macy. Sweet includes an author’s note at the end of the book with more detail on Sarg’s life and work with Macy. She also provides an extensive bibliography with her sources for further reading and to insure her readers of the accuracy of Tony Sarg’s story. Although Sweet's writing voice is simple and direct, the text is not oversimplified or babyish.

The illustrations, also by Melissa Sweet, bring a childlike sweetness to Tony Sarg’s story. According to her Author’s Note, Sweet created all the puppets photographed for various pages, as well as basing some of them on Sarg’s toys. Other illustrations are watercolors, collages with mixed-media and fabrics. Sweet uses real photos and newspaper clippings in addition to other artistic mediums. Every picture appears brimming with happiness and joy for Sarg’s life. Sweet’s enthusiasm for her topic comes through in her work, and her illustrations are sure to charm any reader.

While reading Balloons Over Broadway, I was disappointed to reach the end and wished the book wasn’t so short. I was interested to learn more about Tony Sarg’s life, and I think it is a great compliment to an author when the reader wants to know more. Children and adults will enjoy the lovely illustrations and clear and concise text.

4. AWARDS & REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Orbis Pictus Award 2012

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award 2012

Bank Street College of Education Flora Stieglitz Straus Award

Starred review in School Library Journal: “Sweet tells this slice of American history well, conveying both Sarg's enthusiasm and joy in his work as well as the drama and excitement of the parade.”

Starred review in Kirkus: “Sweet’s charming mixed-media layouts form a playful bridge between her creative process and Sarg’s. This clever marriage of information and illustration soars high.”

Starred review in Booklist: “What she has done is make a joyous piece of nonfiction that informs and delights in equal parts.”

5. CONNECTIONS
* Houghton Mifflin has created an activity packet for Balloons Over Broadway. It is located at http://www.hmhbooks.com/kids/resources/BalloonsOverBroadway_ActivityKit.pdf

* Use Tony Sarg’s story as a way to teach problem solving techniques. For example, he had to devise a way to create “upside down” marionettes that could be seen by the crowds in the parade.

* Other books illustrated by Caldecott Honor winner Melissa Sweet:

Potter, Alicia. Mrs. Harkness and the Panda. ISBN 9780375844485

Bryant, Jen. A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams. ISBN

            9780802853028

Davies, Jacqueline. The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audobon. ISBN

            0618243437