Independence Day is quickly approaching! It is a special year for the BIG celebration of 250 years!! We have been sharing nonfiction books for different ages to help celebrate the big anniversary. Today we are sharing another group of books to help celebrate and learn more about the country and states. Several were released last week! The first book is 250 Facts About America by J. D. Forester and illustrated by Risa Rodil. This book is recommended for ages 8 to 12.
About the Book:
The ultimate fact book and activity journal all about America, perfect for celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding!Learn amazing things all about the U.S.A. in this activity book jam-packed with fun facts, quick quizzes, questions for inspiring discussion, bonus pages for journaling, and more! This is a must-have for anyone looking to commemorate the historic milestone of America’s semi-quincentennial and makes the perfect travel companion for long road trips, plane rides, and adventures of all kinds.
Complete with the preamble to the U.S. Constitution and facts about each of the fifty states!
From Me:
This book is perfect for celebrating the 250th birthday of the United States. It is full of facts from history of how the USA came to be and onward. It includes facts about the various wars, expansion westward, the Great Depression and more. There are also fun facts about each state!
The book also has journal pages with writing prompts. It also has various quizzes and fun pages. It is perfect for middle grade kids who want to get ready for the big celebration and learn more about the history of the country!
The next book shares some of the things to love about America. The book is Love from America by Sarah Jospitre and illustrated by Amadine Thomas. It is recommended for ages 5 to 8.
About the Book:
Show your love from sea to shining sea!In time for the 250th anniversary of the United States, this mini illustrated gift book is a perfect way to celebrate the people, places, and values of America, from cheering for those we care about to fighting for what’s right—no matter how long it takes.
America is wonder.
America is full of love.
Love is what we feel for you!
From Me:
This is a sweet little book sharing some beautiful ideals of America. The illustrations show diversity as well as many sights to see across the country. The words are simple and few. The illustrations are colorful and fun. It shares so much of the United States without a lot of words.
Think about it, what is America to you? Is it the sights? The people? The history? The ideals? This book shares bits of all of it. It shares that America is love and the things we love in it. The book is sweet and cute and perfect to introduce the younger readers to the country.
Our last three books are part of a series. There are 22 books in the series so far. The series is Who HQ: The 50 States. I picked three books from the series to get an idea of it. The first book is Where Is New York? by Jennifer Marino Walters and Who HQ and illustrated by Ted Hammond. The series is recommended for ages 8 to 12. Hazel and my nephew love New York City so I was interested to see what the book would share about the state.
About the Book:
More than 2,000 waterfalls can be found thereForty percent of Americans have ancestors who immigrated through this state
It has been home to the most populous city in the United States since 1790
Dive into the history, geography, and culture of New York in this installment of the 50 States series. From major cities to historic events, Where Is New York? introduces you to the state in a whole new way, whether you’re proud to call it home or learning about a distant destination.
Visit famous places like the theaters of Broadway. Meet important people like the writers of the Harlem Renaissance. Read about the Indigenous peoples who have lived in the area for thousands of years, and the first Dutch settlers to arrive. Fans of sports, nature, and weird facts will all find something to love about the home of Niagara Falls and the Statue of Liberty. There’s a reason New York is the most visited state in the country!
Including timelines, black-and-white illustrations, and a fact-filled “At a Glance” section, this book has everything you need to know about the heritage, development, and present day of New York.
From Me:
This book begins with sharing about where New York is. It does this with a drawn map as well as words. It then shares a bit of the history of New York. It also talks about some of the special parts of the state like the Niagara Falls and there is a special section on the Statue of Liberty and September 11, 2001. It shares all sorts of facts about the land, politics and cultural. It is a wonderful resource for researching about the state for middle grades. It also has fast facts and a timeline of the state at the end.
The next book is Where Is Massachusetts? by Laurie Calkhoven and Who HQ and illustrated by Ted Hammond. It is also recommended for ages 8 to 12. I was interested to see what the book says about our home state.
About the Book:
Basketball was invented thereIt is thought that the pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock on this state’s coast
The first telephone call ever was placed in Boston
Dive into the history, geography, and culture of Massachusetts in this installment of the 50 States series. From major cities to historic events, Where Is Massachusetts? introduces you to the state in a whole new way, whether you’re proud to call it home or learning about a distant destination.
Visit famous landmarks like Fenway Park. Meet important people like Massasoit, the Wampanoag leader who met Pilgrim settlers. Read about the Great Molasses Flood in Boston’s North End. Fans of sports, nature, and weird facts will all find something to love about the place where the chocolate chip cookie and the sport of basketball were invented. Not to mention the state’s exciting role in the Revolutionary War and the Boston Tea Party!
Including timelines, black-and-white illustrations, and a fact-filled “At a Glance” section, this book has everything you need to know about the heritage, development, and present day of Massachusetts.
From Me:
The final book to share tonight is Where Is Puerto Rico? by Tracy Vonder Brink and Who HQ and illustrated by Ted Hammond. It is also recommended for ages 8 to 12. I picked this one because Puerto Rico is not a state, so it intrigued me to see what they did with it.
About the Book:
The Taíno are this island’s Indigenous peopleIts name means “rich port” in Spanish
Marine life in three of its bays glows at night
Dive into the history, geography, and culture of Puerto Rico in this installment of the 50 States series. From major cities to historic events, Where Is Puerto Rico? introduces you to the place in a whole new way, whether you’re proud to call it home or learning about a distant destination.
Visit famous landmarks like El Morro. Meet important people like Roberto Clemente. Explore the history of those who first called the islands home, the Taíno people. Fans of sports, nature, and weird facts will all find something to love about the home of bomba music and the glowing waters of Mosquito Bay. Not to mention the plants and animals of the stunning El Yunque National Forest!
Including timelines, black-and-white illustrations, and a fact-filled “At a Glance” section, this book has everything you need to know about the heritage, development, and present day of Puerto Rico.
From Me:
This book follows the same format as the other books. It shares about the land, special features, indigenous people and the history of colonialization. It also talks about the government of Puerto Rico and the differences between it and states. It also has the fast facts and timeline at the end of the book too. There is quite a bit about the music of Puerto Rico and the influences of the Taino people. In each book there is information about the land, unique flora and fauna, culture and history. Each book goes into what the area is like today as well. This series is perfect for middle grade research books about the various states. I can see them in classrooms everywhere! These are fun books to help kids learn about their home state, states they are visiting via vacation or moving to. Plus, it will help them learn more about the country in time for the big celebration. Afterall, our country is the United States of America so each state is part of it.
