The Scrambled States of America

***The Scrambled States of America*** is the first book in Laurie Keller's *The Scrambled States of America* series.

## Characters

* Uncle Sam
* Alabama
* Alaska
* Arizona
* Arkansas
* California
* Colorado
* Connecticut
* Delaware
* Florida
* Georgia
* Hawaii
* Idaho
* Illinois
* Indiana
* Iowa
* Kansas
* Kentucky
* Louisiana
* Maine
* Maryland
* Massachusetts
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* Mississippi
* Missouri
* Montana
* Nebraska
* Nevada
* New Hampshire
* New Jersey
* New Mexico
* New York
* North Carolina
* North Dakota
* Ohio
* Oklahoma
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* Rhode Island
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Tennessee
* Texas
* Utah
* Vermont
* Virginia
* Washington
* West Virginia
* Wisconsin
* Wyoming
* Washington, D.C. (non-character)
* A star with a hat
* Bird
* Squirrel
* Party band
* Rabbit
* Bug
* Statue of Liberty
* Penny
* Shark
* Taxi driver
* Wisconsin's Cheese Character
* United States (as a whole country)

## Synopsis

Sam greets the reader and allows us to hear a story from him about this fine country of ours. Ohio and Colorado want to hear it, but Sam orders them to go back to their places before the story begins.

It all begins one morning in the good old U-S-of-A, when the states are waking up, having breakfast, and enjoying the beautiful sunrise. All the states, that is. That is, except for Kansas. He wasn't happy at all. (Sam knows this because Kansas said so himself)

When Nebraska asks him what's wrong. Kansas says he just feels bored, because all day long they just sit in the middle of the country without going anywhere or meeting any new states.

Nebraska agrees with Kansas and states to getting sick and tired of hearing North Dakota and South Dakota bickering all the time. This gives Kansas an idea, deciding to have a potluck party and invite all the other states. They could bring favorite dishes and have music from a band. So they, along with the help of Missouri and Iowa, plan the biggest party ever.

At last, the big day comes. Kansas and Nebraska's job is to welcome guests at the party. Iowa is in charge of coats. Missouri and Illinois hand out nametags for each state the wear. Within minutes, the states begin making friends with each other. As for Nevada, he becomes lovestruck with Mississippi. Idaho and Virginia are then chatting about thinking it might be fun if they switched places, so they could see another part of the country. Virginia suggests that the other states would like to try it, too. The other states are liked by this idea, so they make plans to switch places.

The next morning, the states are all mixed-up and moved to another part of the country. This is a much better arrangement. But after a couple of days have passed and all of the excitement has died down, a bunch of problems begin to occur:

1. Florida switched places with Minnesota and was freezing in the northern climate. while Minnesota who forgot to buy sunscreen, got an awful sunburn.
2. Arizona and Iowa, who switched with the Carolinas are upset because the ocean waves keep messing up her hair and making his corn soggy.
3. Alabama, Indiana and New York, who switched with California, are kept up all night by a rumbling sound (the earthquakes).
4. Alaska, who had wanted to interact with the other states. is irritated by Oklahoma's handle jabbing his left side and Michigan's thumb tickling his right (the penny even says he knew this wasn't a good idea).
5. But the worst of all was Kansas. Kansas, who had switched with Hawaii because he was sick of being stuck in the middle of the country, was now stuck in the middle of nowhere all by himself (Hawaii, on the other hand, was longing for peace and quiet due to the noisy hoedown thrown by South Dakota, Kentucky and West Virginia.

There is no question in any state's minds about what to do. Everyone wants to go home. In time, the states properly "unscramble" and are back with their original neighbors in map form.

Back in their old home, the states (from "A" to "W") are happy to see their old friends again. They chat about the good and bad times that happened in the time they switched places. For the states that had bad experiences, they are happy that they are make in their regular positions but were scared from their bad experiences. Late at night, when all the states from the country go to bed, they go to bed and are happy about the new friends they made, and most thankful to be home.

The book ends with a cast list of all fifty states. What follows is a page of symbols from each state in the U.S.A (and U.S.A map), including its capital, Washington, D.C.

## Differences between the book itself and the video adaptation

Between the book itself and the video adaptation, there are several things that had functionality changes in the video adaptation:

* In the beginning, after Idaho says, "Do you mind?", she hides the book title behind her.
* In the book and --occurring on page 3-- Sam (to the viewers) says, "I am assuming since you have opened this book...!". But in the video adaptation, because the video adaptation is a video and not a book, Sam says "I'm assuming since you're here...!".
* On page 4, Sam gives the states a couple of seconds to "get back into their positions". Then he --Sam-- counts to one thousand three (before the story begins). When he says --counting from one thousand (1,000) to one thousand three (1,003)-- "One thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three!", the numbers 1001, 1002, and 1003 appear (one by one during the count).
* On page 4 --and after Sam counts to one thousand three-- there are no pages in the video version. Because (as repeated from the second difference --which was about page 3) the video adaptation is a video and not a book. (Again, this is a video and not a book.) So instead of saying "Okay, turn the page please!", Sam says "OK, let's get started!".
	+ On pages 3 and 4, Sam, when he said, "I assume that since you are here...!" (instead of "I assume that since you opened this book...!") and --after doing the "counting to one thousand three countdown" (starting with one thousand one, then one thousand two, and finishing with one thousand three)-- "Okay, let's get started!" --instead of "Okay, turn the page please!"-- the reason why he said those two phrases is because the people of the video (who adapted the book --*The Scrambled States of America* by Laurie Keller-- into the video) wanted to keep the book a book and the video adaptation a video. The people of the video (who ported and adapted the book into a video) were forced to change and/or get rid of several features in the video adaptation. (This was done like that so one --or in this case, children and/or readers-- do not confuse books with videos or videos with books when they see books adapted into videos or videos adapted into books.) So between pages 3 and 4, Sam said (in the video version) "I am assuming because you are here...!" and "Okay! Let's get started!" (instead of "I am assuming because you opened this book...!" and "Okay! Turn the page please!").
* On page 5, Hawaii doesn't say "Wake up, sleepyheads!" She is still sleeping, along with her small islands.
* On page 6, Massachusetts is holding a tennis racket.
* When Kansas says, "I'm not feeling happy at all!", he is on page 7.
	+ However, when he was not happy with his place on the map, he said the same phrase in both versions (the book itself and the video adaptation). (He said, "I AM NOT FEELING HAPPY AT ALL!". That phrase --said by Kansas-- however was not changed in the video adaptation --compared to the book.)
* On page 10, after Kansas says, "I have a GREAT idea!", a bird takes out a ruler and says "Wow! His smile is 285 miles wide!". That was in the video adaptation. In the book, the bird did not appear on page 10, but the said quote ("WOW! HIS SMILE IS 285 MILES WIDE!") was in a white box, as if to be a disembodied word bubble. But in the video adaptation, because some character had to be saying that phrase ("WOW! HIS SMILE IS 285 MILES WIDE!"), it was the bird.
	+ He does appear on page 11 in both versions. He says, "ME TOO!", after Nebraska (excitedly) states to Kansas that he is sick and tired of North Dakota and South Dakota bickering all the time. (Nebraska --excitedly-- says, "YES, YES, I DO! AND NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT, I AM SICK AND TIRED OF HEARING NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTH DAKOTA BICKER ALL THE TIME!".)
* On page 13:
	+ A fork appears and Tennessee picks it up.
	+ New Mexico is cartwheeling in place instead of twirling upside-down.
* On page 14, Nebraska says "Glad you could make it!"
* On page 16:
	+ The states who say the red dialogue texts are:
		- Mississippi: "Oh, yes!"
		- Texas: "What a grand idea!"
		- Maine: "We should have done this YEARS ago!"
	+ New Mexico is not smiling when he packs a cactus.
	+ Kansas' design when he says, "I am outta here!" is from page 9.
* On page 18:
	+ Some of the states' dialogues are muted.
		- Arkansas: "Lovely!"
		- Alaska: "Wanna hear a joke?"; Michigan: "Sure!"
		- West Virginia: "Hey!"; Michigan's upper peninsula: "Hi!"
		- Indiana: "Hi there!"; South Carolina: "Nice to meet you!"
		- Penny: "Oh, dear."
	+ California and Wisconsin sing *Home on the Range*.
* Nebraska's design, when he experiences sea creatures and gets frightened by a shark (or whale) in the ocean, is from page 9.
* Florida (who was freezing in the northern climate when he switched places with Minnesota) sneezes on page 19.
* Minnesota (who got sunburned when he switched places with Florida), he looks sad in the video version. That is, before Vermont hugs him and tells him a big hug will ease his sunburn.
	+ He does say, "YEOW!" (in the same fashion as in the book). That is, when Vermont hugs him.
* California and Wisconsin's design, when California reveals to be lactose intolerant, is from page 18.
	+ So is Tennessee's design, when she is shrouded in the rain.
* Texas, Virginia, and Maine are drawn differently when Texas sneezes.
* On page 20, Sam trades his head design back from page 3.
* Page 22 happens before 21.
* On page 22, Hawaii shouts "I can't stand it!"
* The background music that plays in page 22 resembles Little Richard's *Good Golly Miss Molly*.
* When Illinois calls for an airline ticket, her "mmmhmmm..." is replaced by a laugh.
* On page 24:
	+ Montana and Oregon ride past Nevada and Mississippi, saying "Come on, Nevada!"
	+ Kansas swims while singing "Home, I'm going home."
* On page 26, after Michigan says, "This is a classic!", he reads the t-shirt aloud.
* Some of the states' dialogue are muted on page 18:
	+ The Dakotas are shaking hands, instead of making a deal not to argue anymore.
	+ Nebraska: "I almost got eaten by a whale!"; Kansas: "Oh, dear!"

### Audiobook edits from the video

* The audiobook begins with Sam reading the book title.
* On pages 3-4:
	+ Sam's dialogue is edited as "I'm assuming since you opened this book..." and "Okay, turn the page please!".
	+ Idaho, New Jersey, and the Star with a Hat's dialogues are omitted.
* On pages 5-6, only South Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Maine, and New Hampshire's dialogues are available.
	+ Unlike the video, Sam narrates "Reading the morning paper" after Pennsylvania says, "Keep it comin'!"
* The bird did not appear and measure Kansas's smile on page 10 after Kansas says, "I have a GREAT idea!".
* On pages 13-14:
	+ Nebraska's video-exclusive dialogue is omitted.
	+ The states' dialogues happen after Sam narrates "They spent hours talking, laughing, dancing, and singing."
	+ The scene where Nevada and Mississippi are lovestruck with each other is omitted.
* On pages 17-18:
	+ Wyoming's dialogue happens after Kansas's dialogue.
	+ The states whose dialogues are muted in the video are said in the audiobook.
* Pages 21-22 happen in the right order.
* Page 24 ends with Mississippi saying, "You're the only state for me."
* On page 25-26, the states whose dialogues are muted in the video are said in the audiobook.

## Trivia

* This is the first book Laurie Keller has worked on.
* In the original 1998 version, on the back cover, there are two additional snapshots. One of them shows Minnesota and Missouri wearing silly glasses. Another one features North Dakota leading the conga line.
* Some dialogues are said multiple times in the book:
	+ "Thanks" is said seven times:
		- Alabama says it when Louisiana hands her some toothpaste.
		- Wisconsin says it when Iowa checks out her coat.
		- New Mexico says it when Maryland tells him he's a great dancer.
		- Hawaii says it when Kentucky tells her islands are cute.
		- Maine and Virginia say "Thanks, pal!", when Texas sneezes on them.
		- Nevada says it when California gives him some cheese.
		- Florida says it when Georgia gives him some money from Las Vegas.
	+ "Yum" is said three times:
		- Ohio says it when Indiana pours him coffee.
		- West Virginia says it when she eats cereal.
		- Georgia says it when she tries Louisiana yams.
	+ "Sure" is said six times (five times in the video version):
		- Connecticut says it after Massachusetts asks "Tennis, anyone?"
		- Wyoming says it when a rabbit asks if he can go with her.
		- Louisiana says it twice in the book. The first time, North Carolina gives her gum. The second time, Florida asks her for a ride.
		- Michigan says it when Alaska asks if he wants to hear a joke.
		- California says it when Wisconsin asks if he wants to sing a song.
	+ "Cool" is said twice:
		- Connecticut says it when the states feel excited to switch places.
		- New Jersey says it when Pennsylvania says he saw Mexico.
	+ "Ouch" is said four times:
		- New Mexico says it three times when he packs a cactus.
		- Arkansas says it when he is struck by New Mexico's cactus.
	+ "Hello" is said four times:
		- South Dakota says it when she greets Georgia.
		- New Jersey says it when he greets Alabama.
		- Pennsylvania says it to a bug, who in turn says it back.
	+ "Really?" is said twice:
		- Idaho says it when Colorado tells her he knows how to tap dance.
		- Louisiana says it when Texas says that everyone around her was blue.
	+ "Not at all" is said twice:
		- Utah says it when Florida asks if he's heavy.
		- A bird says it when another one says that Vermont isn't a good singer.
	+ "Hi there" is said twice:
		- Sam says it when he greets the reader.
		- Indiana says it when she greets South Carolina.
* Oklahoma sings his state song on Page 20.
* North Dakota and Washington only appear limbless, except on the back cover.
* The states' looks look different in the beginning of the book.
* Delaware, Idaho, Maryland, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia only appear with one eye and no nose.
	+ However, Vermont's full face appears on the front cover, while Idaho's full face appears on the back cover.
* Michigan's upper peninsula has no lines at all.
* This book made an appearance in a Reading Rainbow episode. The only pages shown in this episode are 15, 18, 19, 23, and 24, along with the map page.
* On pages 5-6, 17-18, and 25-26, the states' names are written in black ink, but in the video version, they were removed, so the animators had to type all 50 states' names in the said pages.
* On page 18, forty states are shown with only one eye.
* In this book, the only page where a state is seen facing back with his name printed on its body is on page 12, where Iowa is seen writing on invitations on the back side of the table. This way, his name reads "AWOI". Coincidentally, the four letters in Iowa's name look the same shape when mirrored backwards.
	+ However, in the Talent Show book, some of the states are shown facing back when cheering for the New States during their act; for example: Alaska, whose name reads "AꓘƧA⅃A".
* The locations some of the states switched to:
	+ Florida, who switched with Minnesota.
	+ Alabama, New York, and Indiana, who took California's place, while California took New York's place.
	+ Arizona, who switched with South Carolina.
	+ Tennessee, who switched with Washington.
	+ Kansas, who switched with Hawaii.
	+ Wyoming, who took Alaska's place.
	+ Iowa, who switched with North Carolina.
	+ Arkansas, who switched with Michigan.
	+ Pennsylvania, Oregon, and North Dakota who took Texas's place, while Texas took Oregon's place.
	+ There is a Scrambled States fan from Tooele, UT named Eleanor Swan. She has autism. She loved the series so much that she made Scrambled States fanarts and songs on her YouTube Channel, Eleanor Swan.

## Errors

* On page 5, Kansas has the same height as Missouri.
	+ In that same page, Illinois is tying her shoe, but none of the states don't normally wear shoes. Also, Kentucky is brushing his hair.
* On page 15, there are two Virginias (literally, not herself and West Virginia), and Hawaii (big island) is about the same size as Kansas.
* In the original 1998 version, on the top-left corner of page 16, Oregon is mistakenly colored blue. She is removed in later versions.
* On page 16, a bunny asks Wyoming if he can come with her. But Wyoming switches with Alaska, while the bunny moves to Mexico.
* On page 18, Alaska is smaller than Texas.
* On page 19:
	+ California, Nebraska, and Wisconsin are only colored in pencil and marker.
	+ Maine and Virginia's names are missing when Texas sneezes on them.
* When New York hails a cab, his nose is missing.
* Video errors:
	+ Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming have male voices, while Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New York, and Ohio have female voices.
		- It's impossible that Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, and West Virginia have male voices though they have feminine-style eyelashes.
	+ When West Virginia says "Yum," North Carolina's mouth is missing.
	+ Oklahoma has a female voice when he shouts "Woohoo!"
	+ When the Great Lakes wonder where Michigan went, Florida's mouth is missing.
	+ On Page 19, when Texas says "Hutchooo," it's spelled with three O's, but the read-along video subtitles spell it with two O's.
	+ When Iowa says, "Have you lost weight?", Kansas' arms are missing.
	+ When Tennessee says, "A Hawaiian pineapple!", West Virginia's mouth is missing.
	+ When Georgia says, "I won this for you in Las Vegas," South Carolina's mouth is missing.
	+ When Alabama says, "The earth moved!", Louisiana's mouth is missing.
	+ When Oklahoma says, "Alaska told the funniest jokes!", Missouri's arms are missing.

## Cultural references

* A shirt that New York gave to Michigan reads "MY FRIEND TRADED PLACES WITH CALIFORNIA, AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS STUPID T-SHIRT" was a reference to "I (behavior or action) and all I got was this lousy t-shirt".