Available:*
Library | Call Number | Status |
|---|---|---|
Searching... R.H. Stafford Library (Woodbury) | J 973 DAV | Searching... Unknown |
Bound With These Titles
On Order
Summary
Summary
Thirteen stripes-
Fifty stars-
And hundreds of AMAZING facts about the U.S.A.!
Can you guess the names of the ten states below?
1. I have the highest waterfalls in North America.
2. I am the smallest state.
3. I am the largest state.
4. I have produced the most presidents of the United States.
5. I was the first to become a state.
6. I was the last to become a state.
7. I have the "Gateway to America."
8. I have the most kids under age ten.
9. I have the most tornadoes.
10. I am home to America's most popular vacation spot.See page 6 for answers.
Author Notes
Kenneth C. Davis is an American popular historian, best known for his Don't Know Much About... series. Born in Mount Vernon, New York, Davis attended Concordia College, Bronxville in New York, and Fordham University at Lincoln Center, New York City. Davis's second book, Don't Know Much About History, spent 35 consecutive weeks on The New York Times bestseller list and sold nearly 1.5 million copies. This unexpected success launched the Don't Know Much About... series.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-5-Children will learn plenty about the U.S. after taking this winsome tour. The book devotes a page to each state and lists its nickname, date of statehood, and capital with drawings of its flower and bird, and a simple outline map. Beyond that, the page is filled with facts, stories, and statistics unique to that state. For example, Davis notes the origin of "Tar Heel" in North Carolina, points out that the tallest waterfalls in North America are in California, explains that a "nodding donkey" is an oil pump in Texas, and that, at one point, Alaska is only two miles away from Russia. Each page is filled with numerous cartoon drawings that, along with the text, reflect the role of African Americans, Native Americans, and women in our country's history. While the information is not comprehensive enough for reports, it does provide offbeat and interesting tidbits to round them out. A bright, cheery romp through the states.-Kristen Oravec, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Strongsville, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Kenneth C. Davis, author of the bestselling Don't Know Much About series for adults, has adapted the concept in a group of books for younger readers. Using his signature approach of presenting facts in a qanda format, Don't Know Much About the 50 States, illus. in full color by Rene Andriani, begins with a picture of the American flag and an explanation of the 13 stripes. Each of the 50 states get its own page, with a drawing of the state and five facts, and a few warrant a spread (California, New York, Texas). Serious questions ("How many United States presidents were born in Ohio?" [Seven]) share space with jauntier queries ("I'm big, I'm green, I'm America's Welcome Queen. Who am I?" [New York's Statue of Liberty]). Endpapers unite all of the states and list the original 13 colonies. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
The states are introduced in alphabetical order, usually one per page, with each entry listing the stateÆs nickname, capital, flower, bird, and year it entered the union. Other information is presented in a sometimes clumsy question-and-answer format (Where in Kentucky can you find eyeless fish and blind beetles?). The text also contains some weak jokes, which is in keeping with the accompanying cartoonlike illustrations. From HORN BOOK Spring 2002, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
The author of the popular adult Don't Know Much About series goes after a younger audience, laying out a skimpy assortment of random facts about the states and using the same lighthearted Q&A format. With Andriani's small cartoon illustrations liberally scattered about for color, Davis pauses at each state in alphabetical order, starting with a box of facts in brief, then, along with the occasional lame joke ("What has four eyes but can't see? Mississippi"), introducing a handful of historical events, famous natives, natural features, or unique characteristics. Browsers may pause here for a few moments-before going on to more substantial tours of the US, such as Lila Perl's It Happened in America (1992). Because Davis's accuracy is sometimes as casual as his style-not all of the Alamo's defenders were Texans, for instance, and Davy Crockett wore a coonskin cap far more often in legend than in life-it's not a primary purchase for libraries. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-10)
