April 1, 2023
Gr 2-4-A cleverly organized compendium of state facts for young students! This series' unique photo album-like design promotes quick reading (one-to-two simple sentences per page) yet encourages students to pore over high-quality color photos of great places to explore in 20 U.S. states-while being "hosted" in each book by a boy or girl cartoon figure, a state native. There is diversity among the figures, including children of color, a girl in a wheelchair, and a boy with a hearing aid. In each volume, the "tour guide" welcomes students to the state and, in first person, proudly shows off significant sites to see and fun things to do there. This child, superimposed atop photographic backgrounds, appears frequently throughout and recounts "personal experiences" visiting fascinating places. Some graphics resemble actual photographs and carry "Fun Fact" captions. Additionally, each volume includes a U.S. map on which the state and capital city are color-highlighted. The state's special symbols, such as animals, flowers, birds, flags, or insects or fish, are identified, as are important crops, resources, sports teams, the largest city, and notable people born there. The clever design not only increases reading speed but also piques interest: As students turn the "album" pages, they acquire and learn interesting facts. New vocabulary is set in bold black and defined in a picture glossary, with pronunciation guides; the back matter also includes an index. A "School-to-Home Support for Caregivers and Teachers" page precedes the text in each volume and presents "guiding questions to help readers develop their comprehension skills." Questions to be asked before, during, and after reading are included, with possible answers provided. VERDICT Highly recommended for public and school libraries. Ask students which states or places they would like to visit and why.
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