The 50 States: Explore the U.S.A with 50 fact-filled maps!
Written by Gabrielle Balkan
Illustrated by Sol Linero
Wide Eyed Editions (Oct. 1, 2015)
ISBN: 978-1847807113
Ages: 7-10
Grades: 2-5
Pages: 112 Hardcover
The 50 States is what I call a “busy book,” like those by Richard Scarry, Graeme Base, and Stephen Biesty. It’s jam-packed with tidbits of info and illustrations. It will take hours of perusing to just see it all, and a bit longer to process the info and think through all the connections a kid is sure to make.
The 50 States Book, Alaska Spread
The facts assembled in the book focus on state symbols (state flower, postal code, etc.), geography (maps, du-uh!), history (timelines), and people (one-sentence bios). There are also some cool natural history tidbits in the mix.
Here’s a smattering of what the book has to say about Alaska:
CHANGUNAK ANTISARLOOK ANDREWUK: “SINROCK MARY,” 1870–1948, The Inupiat “Queen of Reindeer” turned a small herd of reindeer into the largest in the state, becoming one of Alaska’s richest women.
LEONHARD SEPPALA, 1877–1967, Norwegian-born Seppala’s ability to breed, train, and mush sled dogs made him an unbeatable dogsled racer.
AUGUST 19, 1923: Iñupiat Inuit Ada Blackjack is the sole survivor of a tragic Arctic expedition.
JULY 19, 1961: The first World Eskimo-Indian Olympics is held in Fairbanks; it now includes a muktuk (whale blubber) eating contest!
MARCH 24, 1989: After an oil spill from the Exxon Valdez tanker, 10,000 workers, 1,000 boats, and 100 airplanes and helicopters begin the cleanup.
THE ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE is home to all three species of North American bear: polar, black, and grizzly.
WHALE WATERS: Humpback whales travel 3,100 miles during their annual migration to Mexico.
YUKON RIVER: This nearly 2,000-mile- long river is the third longest in the U.S.
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