This book tells the story of puppeteer Tony Sarg, the man who first invented the helium balloons that have become the trademark of the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. He began when Macy's asked him to make a puppet parade for the store's holiday window. He used his marionettes and attached them to gears and pulleys to make them move. Many of Macy's workers were immigrants and missed their holiday traditions. Macy's agreed to put on a parade for their employees and they hired Tony Sarg to help make costumes and build horse drawn floats. It was such a huge success they decided to have one every year on Thanksgiving to celebrate America's own holiday. Tony Sarg worked with a company in Ohio to make balloons out of rubberized silk. His goal was to make upside down marionettes.
This book was truly fascinating. I think this a great story to teach students how the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade evolved. It's perfect for something different to add in the traditional Thanksgiving unit most teachers teach. It shows how the innovative and dedication of one person had such an impact on something that is still so popular today.
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