Only in America: The Weird and Wonderful 50 States (Volume 12) (Americana, 12) Hardcover – November 9, 2021

1 of our favorite books! Fun, cool, and interesting!

I'm teaching my children about the States as a unit study this year. We are going state by state. I have three resources to pull from, this is one of the three. This book is the most looked forward to.I think my children retain more facts about the States from this book, versus the other two. I'm learning too. I'm over on the east coast, so Zozobra in New Mexico was new for me. Or how about one of the world's largest toilets in Indiana? Wild stuff! Thanks for making learning fun.

We've been using this book for homeschooling for the 50 states and we have been loving it! Lots of fun, silly and sometimes gross facts about each state! Wonderful book!

Fun & funny interesting facts about each state, with illustrations.

The Only in America: The Weird and Wonderful 50 States (Volume 12) book is awesome.This book shipped well with minimal packaging. It was not damaged at all. It emitted no weird odors or chemical-like smells.The book is 12.5 by 10 inches in size. It sports a very sturdy and durable hardcover in which the imagery on the front is slightly raised and glossy. It's so cool looking from out the outside that it just makes you want to pick it up and browse on through.This is a massive book with bits of bite-sized interesting and intriguing information. Though marketed toward children, I as an adult have also enjoyed it.The book opens up to an index so to speak that is shaped in the image of the entire USA. Each state has the number listing of what page you can find it on.The book features the following; State Nicknames, Fast Facts ( Capitol, funny place names, state slang state quarter, fantastic foods, cool inventions, books,...). You will also learn about popular festivals, museums, monuments, landmarks, animals, sport, record holders, and so much more.The illustrations are awesome and eye-catching. There's a lot covered but I didn't find the book to be too busy or anything like that.Any kid that likes geography or that loves spouting off random facts is sure to love this book. I gave it to my ten-year-old son for Christmas and he's quite the fan.Highly recommended.

Positives:- This is a very fun and relaxing read for anyone. Every page has colorful and entertaining artwork that sits right next to short blurbs of text.- Book is gear to younger kids (K~4th grade) and the reading level fits that age group.- Though entertaining, it teaches reading skills, encourages geographic skills and further online research. For example reading about the Gateway Arch being 630’ tall could lead to finding it’s location in St. Louis Missouri, doing more online reading about the monument, and potentially a field trip with the family.- Front of the book (table of contents) is a simplified map of the USA with page numbers printed on the state. Easy to find the page you want to read. The rest of the book is in alphabetical order. (Alabama, Alaska, etc.)- All 50 states have their two pages of info and each state is presented in the same easy to navigate format.- This is a large hard-sided book, 10-1/4” wide by 12-1/2” tall.- There does not appear to be any political or religious leanings in the book. Book focuses on very neutral items like the state bird, funny named cities, favorite foods, mascots, activities, buildings, etc.Negatives:- Print size is rather small for Kindergartner and first grade reading. I would have preferred slightly larger text with less blank space.- No dust jacket on the book to keep it clean. I guess this is okay, as most kids will lose it.Above review is for the book: Only in America: The Weird and Wonderful 50 States

This is a really fun book for kids and adults alike. I feel like the language is easy enough that a mid-elementary school student could likely read it on their own or with only a little help from a parent or someone else. If you are an elementary school teacher, I feel like this would be a fun addition to your classroom library.I found it interesting to read about states that I'm familiar with as well as states that I've never visited. You (or your child) might find it fun to quiz family members on the state where you currently live or where you have lived or visited. You might be surprised how much you don't know about states that you thought you were pretty familiar with.I found it interesting to see what the author felt was important to include. While I enjoyed the whole book, my favorite part was the "Funny Place Names." It was fun to see how many of these places I had heard of in the state where I lived or where I have lived. This could lead to a fun activity with your child or children. See how many "Funny Place Names" you and your children know in your state or nearby states. If none of you are familiar with the places, try to find them on a map, and see how far away they are from where you live.This is definitely a book that I would recommend to anyone who thrives on knowledge, particularly anyone who likes to learn more about places in the United States. It is well-written, and the illustrations are great.