A is for America (Hardcover)

~ (Author), (Author), Pam Carroll (Author) "Go tell Matt and Ian and Madison and Bo, and Griffin, Quinn, and Christian, and everyone you know..." (more)
Key Phrases: United States, World War

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Tidbits of American history, geography and pop culture, as well as a sprinkling of commercial brand names, appear in this hodgepodge of an alphabet book. Scillian, a Detroit news anchor, delivers uninspired verse: "Kitty Hawk and Kansas, and Kodiak bears./ King Kamehameha, Kellogg's Rice Krispies squares./ K is for two kinds of King George the Third who was defeated,/ and Martin Luther Junior whom our troubled nation needed." Sidebars on each spread offer several explanatory notes, some of which are helpful ("King Kamehameha was the ruler of Hawaii more than 100 years before Hawaii became a state"), while others are murky ("Henry Ford [listed under "H"] didn't invent the automobile. But his way of building them was so successful many people believe he did"). First-time illustrator Carroll paints sometimes jarring collages of items mentioned in the text; representing the letter "P," for example, is an illustration of Rosa Parks sitting on a bus, holding a container of popcorn and gazing out the window at converging images of Philadelphia, Pike's Peak and Plymouth Rock. Ages 4-8.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A is for America' gives 26 reasons to be proud...many will appreciate the patriotic theme." -- Linda Ann Chomin, Observer & Eccentric, Michigan June 17,2001

"Thank you for 'A is for America!' It is filled with delightful poems, lovely illustrations, and loads of information." -- Mostly Books, Gig Harbor, WA

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 56 pages
• Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press; 1 edition (May 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585360155
• ISBN-13: 978-1585360154
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 10.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #180,802 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This item is part of The Discover America State by State Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Parents and Teachers Will Enjoy This Along With The Kids, June 19, 2001

By	Pam Pulner (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews

It's hard to find fault with a book that educates children with enough originality and intelligence to keep parents and teachers on their toes as well. Don't be surprised to find yourself learning what you thought you already knew!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars T - A Treasure Trove of Trivia, for Tykes and (pre)-Teens, October 7, 2003

By	Gregory J. Nelson (Plano, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I really like this book. It's been in my 5-year-old's collection for about 2 years now, and it still get pulled down and read every few weeks.

Devin Scillian has done a fantastic job of using events and facts from just about every imaginable facet of American life, both well-known and obscure. For example, the book mentions the YMCA, Harriet Tubman, "The Twilight Zone", Kellogg's Rice Krispies, Hoover Dam, and egrets. That's on top of many major cities, states, and historical events.

The book layout features a very interesting two-tiered system. The main flow of the book is carried by a series of 4-line verses, one per letter. This portion is suitable for reading to pre-readers. Along the sides of each page, relevant factoids are given, further illuminating the main verse. This makes the book hold appeal for older readers, probably even up to 4th or 5th graders.

Pam Carroll's well-drawn illustrations are very "busy", but not in a bad way; my boy enjoys hunting for all the listed items. Adults can get a chuckle noticing the curious juxtapositions, such as Huck Finn reading a Hemingway novel on the "H" page, or, on the "N" page, Norman Rockwell painting Neil Armstrong, while both are on the moon.

I found this book to be an utter delight. Highly Recommended.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Artwork, May 15, 2001

By A Customer

When you open this book, the first thing you see is page after page of beautiful imagery for young and old alike. This is sure to catch many inquisitive kids attention and stimulate dinner conversations all around the nation. BRAVO, PAM and Devin