Balloons Over Broadway

Balloons Over Broadway

Sweet, M. (2011). Balloons over broadway. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing.

Balloons Over Broadway is the story of puppeteer extraordinaire Tony Sarg. From a little boy, Tony loved figuring out how to make things move. As he got older, he became a marionette man.When he moved to New York City, he began performing on Broadway. The famous Macy’s Department Store heard about Tony and offered him a chance to design a “puppet parade” for the store’s holiday window. Needless to say it was a huge success! He was asked to put on a parade for the immigrant employees who would likely be missing their own holiday traditions. Along with the employees, people lined the streets to see the parade with the humongous life like balloons/puppets. The first parade was on Thanksgiving Day 1924. As he perfected his craft, what we know today about the attractions for the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade is the ingenious creations inspired by Tony Sarg.

A great book on using gifts and talents to change the world and make history. This book is a testament to dedication and creativity for all ages. Tony Sarg’s genius and love of how things move has afforded us one of the greatest American traditions and treasures-the helium balloons that have become a staple in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade every year.

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Balloons Over Broadway