| 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. |
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