Living in Paris in the 1880s, Andre, a nine-year-old who was taken in by a neighbor after his parents died, earns his keep by helping Mr. Malet deliver coal. On his rare breaks from work, he sneaks down the street to a shop where Mr. Bartholdi is supervising the construction of a gigantic lady made of copper. It is meant to be a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States, they tell him. Fascinated by the process, Andre returns day after day to watch and, as he watches, he develops a great curiosity about the place to which the completed statue will be delivered. When it is finally shipped to the United States, Andre decides to travel with it on the same ship--as a stowaway. Although Andre is a fictional character, the details about the building of the Statue of Liberty and its perilous journey overseas are based on facts. Children who are making the transition from beginning readers to longer chapter books will find a lot of drama and a surprising amount of depth in this extremely accessible story. (Ages 6-9)

The boat creaked and moaned as the storm's waves smashed into the ship. Down in the hold, Andre‚ sat between crates that held the great copper lady, the Statue of Liberty. They were on their way to America, but would the storm that raged prevent them from getting there? Given to the people of the United States in 1885 by the people of France as a symbol of friendship between the two countries, the Statue of Liberty has come to symbolize freedom, liberty, and hope to all that see her. In this thrilling tale, learn what might have happened during the statue's stormy trip to America.