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Book Summary

Reviewed by Dawn Friedman

There's no story here -- Peter Sis has simply taken lots of little facts for each of our 50 states (and Washington DC) and created a handy little guide for kids by plastering the info across boxcars. Each state's bird, tree, and flower are represented, but kids will also learn what each state considers a claim to fame. For example, the Tennessee boxcar features Elvis, and North Dakota shows us the International Peace Garden.

Is It Any Good?

4

There's a lot of information here, but it's presented in a fun, easy way that will turn kids on to state trivia. The book also encourages further research with little blurbs at the bottom of the page, like mentioning that Levi Strauss created blue jeans in 1853 to outfit prospectors in California. For kids who aren't sure where to start, parents can always flip straight to their home states and then flip around some more to find others that are familiar, like the one where Grandma was born or the one where Grandpa is living now.

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