Don't Know Much About the 50 States (Paperback)

by Kenneth C. Davis (Author), Renee Andriani (Illustrator) "Look at the American flag..." (more)
Key Phrases: United States, Rhode Island, New Hampshire (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
From the author of the bestselling Don't Know Much About History comes a terrific new series for kids. In Don't Know Much About the 50 States, young readers will be amazed to discover how entertaining U.S. geography and history can be. Using an engaging question-and-answer format, Kenneth C. Davis reveals the mysteries and claims to fame behind each state in the United States. What is a Tar Heel, anyway? Why do many buildings in New Mexico look different from those in other states? To build Nevada's Hoover Dam, did it really take two years of continual concrete pouring? What state is nicknamed the Flickertail State? Each state gets its own page (except Texas, California, and New York, with two apiece), with an outline of the featured state, a couple paragraphs of text, and miscellaneous sidebars and quizzes. Tucked in among the tidbits of trivia are some substantial pieces of information about each state, including its nickname, year of statehood, capital, state flower, and state bird. Goofy illustrations by Renee Andriani contribute to the lively, upbeat tone of this useful resource. It's not comprehensive, by any means, but it'll certainly spark an interest in geography.

Other titles in the series include Don't Know Much About Planet Earth, Don't Know Much About Space, and Don't Know Much About the Solar System. (Ages 8 to 12) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly
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 q&a format, Don't Know Much About the 50 States, illus. in full color by Ren‚e 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.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (April 13, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064462277
• ISBN-13: 978-0064462273
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #114,729 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #3 in	Books > Children's Books > Series > Nonfiction > Don't Know Much About
  #13 in	Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( D ) > Davis, Kenneth C.
  #29 in	Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > United States > State & Local

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't know much about 50 states , September 17, 2004

By	Pt.Defiance Librarian (Tacoma, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Don't Know Much About the 50 States (Hardcover)

I have read and reviewed many children's books in my 28 years as an elementary school librarian, and have found none with more glaringly inaccurate and unclear writing:Washington is the Evergreen State, not the "CHINOOK State", Mt.St. Helens did not have "LAVA" flows as the text says it did, the section about the state says that the Chinook winds are a "PAIR of winds" and does not explain what they are, they are warm winds that sometimes flow from east to west bringing warm air west. As a native of Washington, I began, and ended, reading in the section on our state. After reading the section I did not bother to check to see if the other states information was as inaccurate and poorly written, as I knew that I certainly would not want this book in any library nor in the hands of any children, dispite the vissual appeal.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars State Facts and Fun....., September 7, 2001

By	Roz Levine (Virginia) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Don't Know Much About the 50 States (Hardcover)

Do you know which state has the largest cave system in the world, why Tennessee's nickname is the Volunteer State, or why North and South Dakota have the same name? What did Delaware do first, before any other state and why are more languages spoken in Oklahoma than in all of Europe? Do you know how many presidents were born in Ohio, whether there are really 10,000 lakes in Minnesota, or where you'd find a nodding donkey? The answers to these and hundreds of other questions can be found in Kenneth Davis' marvelously creative and inventive geography book, Don't Know Much About The 50 States. Written in an easy to read, conversational format, each page is dedicated to a single state, chock full of interesting trivia, fun facts and historical information and complemented by Renee Andriani's witty and expressive illustrations that just add to the fun. Perfect for youngsters 9-12, this is a book full of history, trivia and lots of surprises that whets the appetite, takes the stuffiness out of geography and makes learning fun. So find out in which two states wild Venus Fly Traps grow, and enjoy!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Fluff and animation..., September 14, 2004

By	M. Cunningham "Megan Cunningham" (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Don't Know Much About the 50 States (Hardcover)

... but very little real information. At 65 pages of large print and sprawling cartoons, rather devoid of anything exceptional.

I'd skip it and find something more informative for your child.