Customer Reviews

Go, Go America: 50 States of Fun

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Dan Yaccarino created this great travel book for kids just in time for summer trips. Using this book as a learning tool to expand your child's knowledge will be a wonderful thing. I estimate the reading level is 6-10, depending on the child and the reading interest is 6-12.

Each state is represented with 6-9 facts per state, including the capital.
Some of the facts are fun, some mundane, and some inane. For example, Louisiana (my home state) contains these facts:

1. "In New Orleans, a fire engine must STOP for a red light, even if it is on the way to a fire." Why would the publisher include such a fact!? This is an example of inane and I took off a point for this. Or, "the honeybee is Louisiana's official state insect." I just wish we had more honeybees. I have seen very few this sumer.

2. "Guiden is known as the Duck Capital of America.!"

The state of Maine has these things:

1. 90% of the Blueberries in the United States come from Maine, so save some room for dessert!

2. More toothpicks are produced in Maine than is any other state--100 million a day are made.

3. Augusta is the captal of Maine.

Let's try Pennyslvania:

1. "Did you know that Philadelpia is home to the Liberty Bell?

2. "The nation's largest insectarium is in Philadelphia. Watch Tarantulas,
Cockroaches, and Assorted Bugs."

Florida rates two pages:
1. The Overseas Highway, which runs from Miami to Key West, is known as one of the longest over-water roads in the world."

2. Did you know that Forida is known as the Alligator State and has the world's largest Alligator population?

And so it goes!. In the back of the book is a another great feature for travel: For each state is a long list of answers to these topics:
Statehood, Order of Statehood, square miles, bird, flower, tree, motto, and nickname.

I have just one more question: When do we Go, Go America?

This book has been a hit amongst my students. They like to read the fun, silly facts that belong to each state. They are constantly sharing the fun facts with me as they read.

This book can be enjoyed by children and grownups alike -- there's fun here for everyone -- and good information too.

My son (7 years) borrowed this book from school and didn't want to return it. We bought him his own copy and he loves it. He is the type of child that enjoys reading fact books more than fiction and has learned a lot of interesting and funny trivia type facts about each state in th US. I have enjoyed looking at it too.

Yaccarino makes each state special by listing unique facts about each one. Although some facts may be common knowledge, others are very hidden such as in my home state of Illinois, at Mount Pulaski it is illegal for boys to hurl snowballs at trees. I don't know about girls though! These facts make geography interesting for young learners. Instead of answering the question "What did you learn at school today" with "I don't know", they just might say "I want to move to Norton Maryland so no one can tickle me!" Very enjoyable with completely random facts!

This book was a great addition to my 4th grade classroom. We study the the regions of the USA and this book was a tool that made learning fun and created a high interest for the topic.