Horn Book Review
With their neat, colorful layouts punctuated by satisfying nuggets of information, these small, attractive books will appeal to young travelers and their adult companions. With large print and generic graphics (photographs would have been better), these guides feature regular inserts of quizzes, word searches, and "Fun Facts" breaking up brief narratives on unique aspects and historical events relevant to the various places covered. [Review covers the following titles: Secrets of Our Nation's Capital and Secrets of the National Parks.] (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
These books may not contain actual secrets, but they sure are interesting. The loosely structured format in the compact titles and the interspersions of quizzes, stats, and fun facts sometimes give the flow of information a scattershot feel, but there is organization. Secrets of Our Nation's Capital offers a brief history of Washington, D.C., and then zooms in for a closer look at important buildings like the White House, the Capitol Building, the National Archives, the Library of Congress, museums, monuments, and historic sites. The text in both books is written in a spritely style that neatly pairs with the bright, easy-to-read format, which will attract readers. Stylized graphic illustrations add to the fun. The Secrets series is a good jumping-off point for kids who are just learning about our national treasures and a fine beginning guide for those lucky enough to be seeing the sights for themselves.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2016 Booklist
