The Scrambled States of America
by Laurie Keller
from Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
One day, Kansas wakes up grumpy. The other 49 states are stretching, yawning, and pouring maple syrup onto each other's pancakes, but irritable Kansas announces to his kindly neighbor Nebraska that life is dull and changes must be made: "All day long we just sit here in the middle of the country. We never GO anywhere. We never DO anything, and we NEVER meet any NEW states!" Nebraska, sick of hearing North Dakota and South Dakota bicker all the time, agrees to help organize a party for all the states. It's a hit! Late into the evening, Idaho and Virginia get up onto the stage and suggest that all the states change places. What a state of affairs. Minnesota, who switches places with Florida, gets a sunburn. Kansas, having traded places with Hawaii, gets lonely and sings some soggy blues so sad that a shark sheds a mournful tear offshore. Nevada and Mississippi fall in love. Despite the initial excitement, the new arrangement just doesn't feel right. The states manage to swim, fly, bike, and hitchhike their way home, and everyone goes to bed in the right place--even Kansas is happy to be home after such an adventure. This wacky, thoroughly engaging tale of mixed-up geography is a good bet for some awards. Perhaps best of all, the large format and riot of detail allow for plenty of amusing asides. Books that claim to "make geography fun" usually have to be taken with a dose of skepticism: so often, the teaching is there and the entertainment isn't. This delightfully quirky and original book shows how it should be done. (Ages 4 and older) --Richard Farr
"Well, it was just your basic, ordinary day in the good old U. S. of A. States all over the country were waking up, having their first cups of coffee, reading the morning paper, and enjoying the beautiful sunrise.
All the states, that is, except for Kansas."
At the first annual "states party," Virginia and Idaho hatch a plan to swap spots so each can see another part of the country. Before the party is over, all the states decide to switch places. In the beginning, every state is happy in its new location. But soon things start to go wrong. Will the states ever unscramble themselves and return to their proper places?
Packed with madcap humor and whimsical illustrations, this quirky story-starring all fifty states-is chock-full of introductory facts and silly antics that will make learning geography as much fun as taking a vacation.
Warriors Don't Cry
by Melba Patitllo Beals
from Simon Pulse
An innocent teenager. An unexpected hero.
In 1957, Melba Pattillo turned sixteen. That was also the year she became a warrior on the front lines of a civil rights firestorm. Following the landmark 1954 Supreme Court ruling, Brown v. Board of Education, Melba was one of nine teenagers chosen to integrate Little Rock's Central High School.
Throughout her harrowing ordeal, Melba was taunted by her schoolmates and their parents, threatened by a lynch mob's rope, attacked with lighted sticks of dynamite, and injured by acid sprayed in her eyes. But through it all, she acted with dignity and courage, and refused to back down.
This is her remarkable story.
This is New York (This is . . .)
by Miroslav Sasek
from Universe Publishing
The charm and uniqueness of New York City was never more beautifully and whimsically created for children than in Miroslav Sasek's This Is New York. First published in 1960, his vision of New York nearly forty years ago still remains fresh: the hustle and bustle of Times Square, the ethnic neighborhoods, the awe-inspiring architecture. Sasek captured the essences of New York that delight children and parents, many of whom who will remember the book from their childhood.
This is San Francisco (This is . . .)
by Miroslav Sasek
from Universe Publishing
Here's a flat-out classic. In 1962, Czech author-illustrator Miroslav Sasek created This Is San Francisco, another installment of his series of children's travel guides (This Is Paris, This Is London, This Is New York). With his usual distinctive and charming style, Sasek tours the sights around the City by the Bay, including Lombard Street, the cable cars, Fishermen's Wharf, Golden Gate Bridge, and Chinatown. This 2003 reissue edition also includes a number of annotations about how certain locales have changed since the book was published. There's a good chance that anyone who grew up in or near San Francisco will remember this book fondly. Everyone else has a joyous discovery ahead. --David Horiuchi
Let the rumbling cable car tell you the story! And what a story: From the crookedest street in the world to the Peking ducks in Chinatown, San Francisco is easily one of the world's most enchanting cities. Illustrator Miroslav Sasek captures both the breathtaking landscape and the cosmopolitan flavor of the City by the Bay in This is San Francisco. First published in 1962, Sasek's jaunty, colorful illustrations will still dazzle kids and adults alike.
Walt Disney's Legends of Imagineering and the Genesis of the Disney Theme Park
by Jeff Kurtti
from Disney Editions
Fifty years ago, Walt Disney utterly transformed the concept of outdoor entertainment venues from tawdry carnivals and seedy amusement piers called "amusement parks," to an entirely new destination that would come into common vernacular as the "theme park."
Although Disneyland was the inspiration of one man, Walt did not achieve this history-altering concept on his own. Using his innate talent for combining disparate skills and personalities, he assembled a creative team that blended imagination with engineering. Walt called this group his "Imagineers."
Walt Disney's Legends of Imagineering and the Genesis of the Disney Theme Park introduces a core group of the originators of Disneyland and the other Disney parks. It explores their individual relationships with Walt and each other, their creative breakthroughs and failures, and their rivalries and professional politics. This candid narrative of their lives and contributions to a very special form of entertainment illustrates why, half a century later, their work continues to be vital and important to millions of people every day, and all over the world.
Lavishly illustrated throughout with rare and never-before-seen artwork and photographs, Walt Disney's Legends of Imagineering and the Genesis of the Disney Theme Park will further enrich the reader's appreciation of the exceptional talent behind Disneyland's creation and ongoing evolution.
Good Night America (Good Night Our World series)
by Adam Gamble
from Our World of Books
Good Night New York City (Good Night Our World series)
by Adam Gamble
from Our World of Books
United Tweets of America: 50 State BirdsTheir Stories, Their Glories
from Putnam Juvenile
A hilarious tribute to state birds!
Welcome to the United Tweets Pageant! This colorful parade of state birds competing to be Top Tweet will have readers of all ages laughing aloud. From Alabama’s Yellowhammer to Wyoming’s Western Meadowlark, each bird is a winner—and each bird loves to show off the state it calls home. Hudson Talbott has created an inspired introduction to states and their birds. His vibrant, detailed illustrations infuse the birds’ interactions with energy and humor, making this a great way to spark kids’ interest in United States history, geography, and, of course, wildlife!
Don't Know Much About American History (Don't Know Much About)
by Kenneth C. Davis
from HarperTrophy
Was Columbus the first European in the Americas?
What sport became more popular after the Civil War?
Were the Little Rock Nine a rock-and-roll band?
As best-selling author Kenneth C. Davis knows, history can be fun, fascinating, and memorable. When his don't know much about® history was published in 1990, it was a sensation. The book delivered a fresh take on history with its wit and unusual detail. Davis now does for young people what his earlier book did for adults. In his trademark question-and-answer style -- peppered with surprising facts, historic reproductions, and Matt Faulkner's lively illustrations -- Davis introduces our ancestors who settled the East and expanded the West, as well as those who had been living here all along. His sure touch brings the drama and excitement of the American story vividly to life.
Good Night Chicago (Good Night Our World series)
by Adam Gamble
from Our World of Books
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