W Is for Washington: Written by Kids for Kids (See My State)
It's not often one sees a high-quality, full-color, hardback picture book by kids, for kids. But W is for Washington is just that, written by high-school students from Wenatchee, Washington, for children ages 4 and up. Full of dazzling photos of animals, plants, and places around Washington, this thirty-page library-type book is a delightful poetry walk through my home state. Each letter of the alphabet, A to Z, is combined with a picture and a short poetry couplet. The verses are not only fun to read, but also give readers information unique to Washington.For example, the letter "C is for Cougar" shows a photograph of a cougar, along with this couplet:"A fierce wild cat or a team playing ball--Watch the Cougars against the Huskies in the Apple Cup this fall."Or "J is for Strait of Juan de Fuca":"The strait of Juan de Fuca with waters so blue,Is home to salmon, seals, and orca whales too."So far, the Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company's state series includes C is for California, O is for Oregon, and W is for Washington. I hope these three launch titles are the beginning of a full line-up, highlighting each of our fifty states. This is a great little home-school resource for studying state history and geography with younger children. --Susan K. Marlow, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, April 2009