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Melissa Sweet
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Balloons Over Broadway: The Inspiring True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Hardcover – Picture Book, November 1, 2011

by Melissa Sweet (Author, Illustrator)
4.8 out of 5 stars 2,085 ratings
Teachers' pick
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From Caldecott Honor artist Melissa Sweet comes the perfect Thanksgiving Day picture book. Let's have a parade!

Meet the master puppeteer who invented the first balloons for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Melissa Sweet brings to life the inspirational story of the puppeteer who invented the giant balloons floating in the sky during the annual parade celebrating Thanksgiving. The Caldecott Honor artist brilliantly captures the essence of Tony Sarg, a self-taught immigrant with a fascinating imagination.

The collage illustrations coupled with Sweet’s storytelling portray Sarg’s joy in his childhood inventions and his ingenious balloon creations that still bring delight to viewers around the country. This nonfiction illustrated book will capture the hearts of all ages.

“This clever marriage of information and illustration soars high.” (Kirkus starred review)

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  1. Reading age
    5 - 8 years, from customers
  2. Print length
    40 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    Preschool - 3
  5. Lexile measure
    AD1000L
  6. Dimensions
    11 x 0.38 x 9 inches
  7. Publisher
    Clarion Books
  8. Publication date
    November 1, 2011
  9. ISBN-10
    0547199457
  10. ISBN-13
    978-0547199450
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From the Publisher

Balloons Over Broadway

1

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review



Sketches from the Author
(Click on Images to Enlarge)


Sometimes I have to play with pictures to find the words, so I'll make a collage to get warmed up.
My writing looks like lists and doodles until the very end when I write it out on the computer.
An early sketch in Tony Sarg's studio where they puppeteers are figuring out how to make the inflatable animals.
This was the perfect place to have a spread that had to be turned, just like the "upside down marionettes" rising up.
In a nonfiction book even the smallest detail needs to be accurate and I found this wonderful reference for a 1920's New York City bus stop sign that I used in Balloons Over Broadway.

Review

“Sweet’s brilliant combination of collage, design, illustration and text give Balloons Over Broadway an amazing richness. [No one] will ever see the parade in the same way.” — New York Times Book Review

"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. This one should float off the shelves." — School Library Journal (starred review)

“Tony Sarg, the man who invented the giant balloons of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, has found a worthy biographer in Caldecott Honoree Sweet. The rush that comes from inspiration, the cliffhanger moments of creation, the sheer joy of building something and watching it delight the multitudes—Sweet captures it all in what is truly a story for all ages." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“This clever marriage of information and illustration soars high.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Sweet’s whimsical mixed-media collages, embellished with little dolls she made herself out of odds and ends, reinforce the theme that, for Sarg, work was play." — Horn Book (starred review)

“A joyous piece of nonfiction that informs and delights in equal parts.” — Booklist (starred review)

“It’s a history lesson, inventor's sketchbook, and inspirational story all rolled into one marvelous mixed-media masterpiece. Sweet's beautifully rendered true-life tale will have your child's imagination soaring to new heights!” — Education.com

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Clarion Books; Illustrated edition (November 1, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 40 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0547199457
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0547199450
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 5 - 8 years, from customers
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ AD1000L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - 3
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 11 x 0.38 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 out of 5 stars 2,085 ratings

About the author

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Melissa Sweet

Melissa Sweet

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Melissa Sweet is a New York Times bestselling author and has illustrated nearly 100 children’s books. Her work ranges from board books to picture books and nonfiction titles and her collages and paintings have appeared in the New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, and for eeBoo Toys. She has received numerous awards including the Sibert Medal, NCTE's Orbis Pictus Award, as well as two Caldecott Honor awards: A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, and The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus, both by Jen Bryant.

Sweet has written and illustrated four books: The New York Times Best Illustrated Carmine: A Little More Red; Tupelo Rides the Rails; The Sibert Award Winner Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade; and Some Writer! The Story of E.B.White.

Her newest book is How to Read a Book by Kwame Alexander, (June, 2019).

Melissa lives with her husband and dogs in Portland, Maine. For more information, visit www.melissasweet.net.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
2,085 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a sweetly told true story about the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, with beautiful collage-style illustrations that make learning fun. Moreover, they appreciate its educational value as a lively history lesson and its readability as a great read-aloud. Additionally, the book receives positive feedback for its content, with one customer noting it's a fantastic Orbis Pictus winner.

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108 customers mention "Story quality"104 positive4 negative

Customers praise the book's narrative, describing it as a sweetly told true story about the Macy's Day Parade, with one customer noting its sophisticated approach.

"...My grandchildren found it interesting. There is a lot of detail in the book with great drawings." Read more

"...It was an amazing story about the Macys Day Parade. This book is recommended by my entire class! Almost my whole class has ordered copies of this...." Read more

"Beautiful picture book with a great story." Read more

"...It is enchanting from beginning to end, from the creative explanation of how to say Tony Sarg’s name to the Bibliography and Sources...." Read more

80 customers mention "Information value"77 positive3 negative

Customers find the book educational and informative, describing it as a lively history lesson that's great for classroom use.

"...This book is beautiful and packed with factual information. Highly recommend!" Read more

"I’m a preschool teacher and my class loved this book! We have a puppeteer coming into our school and I had never read this before...." Read more

"...creative explanation of how to say Tony Sarg’s name to the Bibliography and Sources. Even the inside covers contribute to the story...." Read more

"My students loved reading about the history of the parade. A great read aloud book for teachers leading up to Thanksgiving Break." Read more

74 customers mention "Illustrations"74 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the beautiful illustrations in the book, particularly noting the collage format of the artwork and how it makes learning fun.

"...There is a lot of detail in the book with great drawings." Read more

"...This book is beautiful and packed with factual information. Highly recommend!" Read more

"Beautiful picture book with a great story." Read more

"...A tradition I’ve carried into my own family. The illustrations are incredible! Highly recommend" Read more

36 customers mention "Readability"32 positive4 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and suitable for read-aloud sessions, with one mentioning it's perfect for Thanksgiving.

"My students loved reading about the history of the parade. A great read aloud book for teachers leading up to Thanksgiving Break." Read more

"Great Read Aloud my Kindergarteners loved it along with this teacher❤️" Read more

"...I plan to give it them next month but I know they will enjoy it. I enjoyed reading it!..." Read more

"This was perfect to read before Thanksgiving. My class also created their own “balloons” after reading" Read more

26 customers mention "Book content"26 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's content, describing it as a great Thanksgiving book with a unique take on holiday celebrations. One customer notes it's perfect for fall reading, while another mentions it's a necessary addition to Thanksgiving-themed collections.

"...My grandchildren found it interesting. There is a lot of detail in the book with great drawings." Read more

"...It will be a thanksgiving staple for years to come!" Read more

"...It’s a great change to your traditional Thanksgiving books." Read more

"Perfect picture book before Thanksgiving break. A book for anyone who watches the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. The illustrations are very unique." Read more

14 customers mention "Balloons"14 positive0 negative

Customers love the balloons in the book, with one customer noting how the story provides a face and name to the big ones, while another appreciates how it serves as a great introduction to creating Thanksgiving balloons.

"...it with his class before Thanksgiving break and they too liked Balloons Over Broadway. The pictures are amazing!..." Read more

"...The bands and floats were nice, but the favorites by far were the giant balloons--well, except for Santa on his sleigh at the end...." Read more

"...It gave me a face and a name to the big balloons...." Read more

"...about the historical aspects of the Macy’s Day Parade and the enormous balloons. Many activities can be used from this story." Read more

Profound childhood memories
5 out of 5 stars
Profound childhood memories
I bought this book originally for my boys wanting to teach them the history behind the thanksgiving day parade. A tradition that began in my house as a little girl. I didn’t realize that opening it up and learning more myself would bring back the profound memories as a little girl waking up on thanksgiving morning to my dad in the kitchen making orange rolls and breakfast with the parade on the tv. A tradition I’ve carried into my own family. The illustrations are incredible! Highly recommend
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Carol
    5.0 out of 5 stars Your kids will enjoy this book
    Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    The book is the history of the Macy's Day Parade large puppets. My grandchildren found it interesting. There is a lot of detail in the book with great drawings.
    Helpful
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  • Lynn Shafer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Educational and fun!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    My kindergartners LOVED learning about the balloons in the Macy’s parade. This book is beautiful and packed with factual information. Highly recommend!
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  • sheila begley
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I’m a preschool teacher and my class loved this book! We have a puppeteer coming into our school and I had never read this before. It was an amazing story about the Macys Day Parade. This book is recommended by my entire class! Almost my whole class has ordered copies of this. It will be a thanksgiving staple for years to come!
    Helpful
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  • Crockett Tavern Library
    5.0 out of 5 stars TEN stars!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    As a retired elementary librarian, I give this wonderful book TEN stars! It is enchanting from beginning to end, from the creative explanation of how to say Tony Sarg’s name to the Bibliography and Sources. Even the inside covers contribute to the story. I plan to share it with all the children, small and tall, at our annual family reunion Thanksgiving dinner - I expect it will become a tradition!
    Helpful
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  • Jenn A
    5.0 out of 5 stars The best Thanksgiving read aloud!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Teacher here! I read this book for the first time this year with my kindergarten class! I loved it so much I shared it with our 4th grade buddies and created a whole buddy lesson around it! It’s a great change to your traditional Thanksgiving books.
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful picture book w/ a great story!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Beautiful picture book with a great story.
    Helpful
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  • Lauren
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Thanksgiving Book
    Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    My students loved reading about the history of the parade. A great read aloud book for teachers leading up to Thanksgiving Break.
    Helpful
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  • Nanette
    5.0 out of 5 stars Profound childhood memories
    Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I bought this book originally for my boys wanting to teach them the history behind the thanksgiving day parade. A tradition that began in my house as a little girl. I didn’t realize that opening it up and learning more myself would bring back the profound memories as a little girl waking up on thanksgiving morning to my dad in the kitchen making orange rolls and breakfast with the parade on the tv. A tradition I’ve carried into my own family.

    The illustrations are incredible! Highly recommend
    Customer image
    Nanette
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Profound childhood memories

    Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2024
    I bought this book originally for my boys wanting to teach them the history behind the thanksgiving day parade. A tradition that began in my house as a little girl. I didn’t realize that opening it up and learning more myself would bring back the profound memories as a little girl waking up on thanksgiving morning to my dad in the kitchen making orange rolls and breakfast with the parade on the tv. A tradition I’ve carried into my own family.

    The illustrations are incredible! Highly recommend
    Images in this review
    Customer image
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • XENIA
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful wonderful book!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 5, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    What an amazing book!

    On one hand, the inspiring story of Tony Sarg who first designed and started the Macy's parade in New York. His life and work demonstrates innovation, creativity and true love for ones work (art in his occasion).

    On the other hand, the amazing lay out of the book by Melissa Sweet. So different, so creative, so colourful! Her collages look as if the book is three dimensional!

    And even though I have a baby son and bought this book to share it with him, I find myself going through it over and over again when he is bed.

    I would definitely recommend it!
    Report
  • Jay
    5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous illustrations & nice history
    Reviewed in Canada on November 30, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I bought this for a little 7 year old boy with whom I have a tradition of watching the Macy’s Parade (he even gets a skip day from school since we are Canadian) and we were both thrilled with the book. The illustration style is beautiful and colorful while giving a true sense of the history behind the balloons. The story itself is quite a bit more detailed than I expected and should be suitable for kids who are a bit older too. Highly recommended for anyone who loves the parade balloons, or for anyone who’s actually attended in person. Really a lovely purchase.
    Report
  • Storygirl
    5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful Story
    Reviewed in Canada on December 21, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I love this story and the history of the balloons and parade are wonderful.
    Report