Third grade students at Barcroft Elementary and Dr. Judy Cheatham, vice president, Literacy Services at Reading Is Fundamental (right), listen to author Steven Sellers Lapham (center) and illustrator R. Gregory Christie (left), read from their new children’s book, “Philip Reid Saves the Statue of Freedom.” Photo Contributed
Arlington — At a Black History Month celebration at Barcroft Elementary, dozens of children gathered to listen to a story from Reading Is Fundamental’s newly launched Multicultural Book Collection. The students listened to co-author Steven Sellers Lapham and illustrator R. Gregory Christie discuss their new children’s book, “Philip Reid Saves the Statue of Freedom.” The book tells the story of an American-born slave's role in the installation of the "Freedom" statue that stands 19 feet above the U.S Capitol dome.
It’s part of a collection of 40 books that have been reviewed and selected by RIF's national panel of experts. For more information on Reading Is Fundamental and the multicultural books collection visit www.rif.org/mbc.