Beyond the Book: Background information when reading Brooklyn Bridge

Beyond the Book

This article relates to Brooklyn Bridge

Teddy Bears, Luna Park, and Helping Homeless Children

The Invention of the Teddy Bear

You can learn about the invention of the American Teddy Bear (Richard Steiff invented a soft toy bear in Germany independently in the same year.) and see Clifford Berryman's political cartoon that inspired it by visiting the Teddy Bears and Friends Website.


Luna Park

Spectacular and dreamlike, Luna Park illuminates Brooklyn Bridge. The History of Amusement Parks website contains fantastic pictures of the rides, especially the ride to the moon described in the novel, the promenades, the lights, the animals. A visit to this site is a must after reading this novel.


Donating Stuffed Toys to Homeless Children

No one reading Brooklyn Bridge can forget the abused, abandoned teddy bear-less children huddling under the Bridge. Project Night Night donates stuffed animals, blankets and children's books to homeless children. Project Night Night donates individual tote bags each filled with a security blanket, an age-appropriate book, and a stuffed animal to children (ages 0-10) in homeless shelters throughout the United States. For more information about donating funds or items, call 415.310.0360 or visit the website, ProjectNightNight.org.

Stuffed Animals for Emergencies is another organization bringing comforting toys to children in distress. SAFE volunteers collect new and gently used stuffed animals and toys to be redistributed to Police, Fire & Rescue, Ambulance Services, Children's Homes, Hospitals, Life Flight, and other emergency organizations in the U.S. and Canada. These emergency organizations use the stuffed animals to ease the children's nerves and calm their fears. Find a SAFE chapter near you.

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This article relates to Brooklyn Bridge. It first ran in the October 15, 2008 issue of BookBrowse Recommends.