Children of the U.S.A. [Hardcover]

Maya Ajmera (Author), Yvonne Wakim Dennis (Author), Arlene Hirschfelder (Author), Cynthia Pon (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

There is no typical American child. Children may share similar activities and pastimes, but they represent a variety of ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. Striking photographs showcase fifty-one cities - one from each state, as well as our nation's capital, Washington, D.C. The photos and facts feature common activities and interests, as well as varied foods, languages, entertainment, sports, and other examples of daily life throughout the country. Published in conjunction with The Global Fund for Children.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Celebrating connections and differences in America today, this photo-essay, published with the cooperation of the Global Fund for Children, combines lots of color photos of smiling young people with a clear, informative text, boxed quotes, and quick facts about American children in 51 communities across the country. Arranged alphabetically by state, the text and pictures show locals having fun eating, attending festivals, playing sports, and much more. The kids range from Inupiat living in Barrow, Alaska, and Irish, Italians, and Portuguese in Boston, Massachusetts, to Muslims in Louisville, Kentucky, and Hmong in Providence, Rhode Island. The bibliography includes a list of Web sites and resources for both children and adults who want more. Kids may not be able to find their own community, but they’ll still discover plenty that seems familiar. Grades 3-6. --Hazel Rochman

About the Author

Maya Ajmera is the founder and president of The Global Fund for Children and the coauthor of many Global Fund for Dhilren books. Maya lives in Washington, D.C. Yvonne Wakim Dennis is a write, curriculum developer, and a multicultural consultant who lives in New York City. Arlene Hirschfelder is an author of books and curricula who lives in Teaneck, New Jersey. Cynthia Pon is the director of The Global Fund for Children Books and lives in Washington D.C.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing (January 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570916152
• ISBN-13: 978-1570916151
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,393,444 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Dull even for an adult, December 28, 2008

By 

N. Nelson (San Diego) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Children of the U.S.A. (Hardcover)

Despite its title, and the promising photographs, this book barely mentions children. The text is so dull and just-the-facts I suspect it might as well have been written by tourism and cultural boards. The book takes one city from each state, and gives us a rundown of the origins of its name, its geography, its major ethnic groups, its industry, its cultural highlights, etc. Alright, I guess, if you're an adult going on a cross-country road trip.

My 5-year-old daughter was very disappointed in this book, as she loves learning about other children and their cultures, and reading it to her I felt like I was back in Social Studies class with a textbook. We'll be returning this for a refund.

(Try "Children Just Like Me" if you're looking for a good multicultural book that talks about the everyday lives of children.)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A simply wonderful celebration of American diversity, March 4, 2008

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Children of the U.S.A. (Hardcover)

The collaborative work of Maya Ajmera, Yvonne Wakimk Dennis, Arlene Hirschfelder and Cynthia Pon, "Children Of The U.S.A." offers boys and girls a profusely illustrated celebration of the diverse and ethnically varied cultural and religious backgrounds of kids in this country. Children are featured as the live and play in fifty-one American cities (one for each state) and represent kids from all classes and walks of society, all colors and both genders. A simply wonderful celebration of American diversity in the form of boys and girls from across the country, "Children Of The U.S.A." is a welcome and enthusiastically recommended addition to family, school, and community library collections.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for grade school kids, January 6, 2009

By 

Grandma (rural NE) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Children of the U.S.A. (Hardcover)

Good for kids who have to move to new neighborhoods, new towns/states! Would be a great addition to all grade school libraries.