Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC for this book. This was a lovely story about a young person expressing gratitude in a truly remarkable way. She didn't do it for the glory or fame and went on with her life. I'm glad the author shared the story of this person and what she created.

This was lovely. A historical story that captures he desperation of the Great Depression as well as the way we can hone and improve a hobby with determination and patience.

The story is about a young girl who sets a goal that she cannot imagine achieving with her skills and materials at the time. But over years she is able to overcome the challenges and create something incredible.

The art was nice - it had a colored pencil feel which made it kind of connected to the story itself about a young artisan girl. .

I really appreciated this story because it is something I would never have learned about otherwise. It tells a small story of one girl and one craft. I think it would be a nice inspiration of how we can show our gratitude to others.

This was a really touching true story. Ernestine was a Mexican American girl whose family was affected by the Great Depression. To show her gratitude to President Roosevelt, she used pieces of the wood crates containing food from the bread lines to construct an amazing work of art as his gift. The clock case is still displayed in a museum honoring the President. Gifts from the heart show so much love and appreciation. This would be a great story to share with children about how important and treasured homemade gifts are.

This nonfiction picture book shares the true story of a Mexican-American girl who built an elaborate wooden clock for FDR as a gift of gratitude for his New Deal policies, which helped save her and her family from starvation during the Great Depression. The illustrations are gentle and atmospheric, and the text shares key historical context and explains how Ernestine made this gift. This book is great for teaching kids about the Great Depression, shares a positive model of gratitude and hard work, and provides representation of a female woodworker and Hispanic experiences in history.

This book was lovely and atmosphere. I think it would be perfect for higher level elementary school students 2-5th grade.

The Great Depression isn’t something we learn a lot about in school.

This book is more than learning about The Great Depression it’s about perseverance and drive as well as giving thanks.

It was just really well written and the illustrations were pleasing as well.

Piece by Piece by Lupe Ruiz-Flores is the amazing story of a young woman who had nothing, and made something out of it. Taking place deep in the Depression, Ernestine wants to give a gift to FDR, for all he has been doing to try to bring the country out of the Depression.

She decides to make him a clock case, though she has no wood, other than the discarded wooden crates that food relief came in. She spends two years carving the very detailed case, and then sends it to the President, who loved it.

And it is still on display at the FDR Library and Museum, to this day.

I love when I learn about people that history has forgotten about. Such an inspirational story, and how cool for kids to read about making things from what you have on hand.

THanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book comes out from Lerner Publishing Group, the 5th of September 2023.

I have added this book to my TrueStory Bookshop and recommend it in three categories:
Picture-Book Biographies ~ Women’s History
Picture-Book Biographies ~ Hispanic Heritage
Picture-Book Biographies ~ Makers

https://bookshop.org/shop/KarlinGray