Balloons Over Broadway

Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade

by Melissa Sweet

Sweet, Melissa. Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2011.

Anthony "Tony" Sarg is the man who made the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade what it is today.  From the time he was a little boy, he loved to figure out how to make things move.  In 1924, Macy's asks him to help out with a parade to honor the immigrants who work for Macy's.  This was the parade that started it all.  Tony's ideas move from marionettes to the huge helium filled balloons that fill the skies every year during Thanksgiving.  This story is filled with beautiful illustrations which, with the words of Sweet, create a story that children of all ages will enjoy.  The author weaves together a beautiful story of the life of Tony Sarg. 

"A joyous piece of nonfiction that informs and delights in equal parts." -- Booklist, starred review
"This clever marriage of information and illustration soars high." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Awards and Honors:
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award
NCTE Orbis Pictus Award