Celebrating Colorado: 50 States to Celebrate

by Jane Kurtz, C. B. Canga (Illustrator)

Overview

Say hello to Mr. Geo, everybody's favorite geography teacher! Today he's visiting Colorado, the Centennial State. He's going to explore four gorgeous national parks, participates in daring sports, visit a dude ranch,  climb to the top of Pikes Peak, and much, much more. Together, you will discover what makes Colorado a state to celebrate. Includes maps and learning activities. Colorful, you-are-there illustrations and easy-to-read text are great for beginning and newly independent readers! 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780544517936
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	04/26/2016
Series:	Peculiar #02
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.20(d)
Lexile:	630L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

JANE KURTZ lives in Portland, Oregon. She has written more than thirty fiction and nonfiction books for children, including Lanie and Lanie's Real Adventure from the American Girl Today series, Anna Was Here, and River Friendly, River Wild, a story in verse for which she received a Golden Kite award. Visit her website at  www.janekurtz.com.

C.B. Canga has illustrated numerous early chapter books, including Field Trip Mysteries by Steve Brezenoff. He lives in Pleasant Hill, California.

Editorial Reviews

Mr. Geo, the adventurous geography teacher, takes a group of multiethnic students to Colorado. First, he orients the reader to the location of the state on a map of the United States and to specific highlights on an enlarged map of the state itself. He and the students begin their trek with a tram ride to the top of Pikes Peak. Next, they take a horseback ride in Rocky Mountain National Park. Then they are off to the Great Sand Dunes National Park. They explore the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park, learn about the gold rush at Mollie Kathleen Mine, and see covered wagons at Bent’s Fort. They climb rocks, ride bicycles, and ski. In Denver, the capitol city, they visit the Broncos football stadium and several museums. The Royal Gorge Bridge is above them as they canoe down the Arkansas River. Colorado Springs is home to caves, waterfalls, hot springs, the U.S. Olympic Training Center, and Garden of the Gods. End papers include a page of fast facts, dates in Colorado history, suggested learning activities, and a glossary. A nice introduction to the state for beginning readers and researchers. Part of the “50 States to Celebrate” series. Reviewer: Phyllis Kennemer, Ph.D.; Ages 6 to 9.

Children's Literature - Phyllis Kennemer

"Colorful and active pages. . . As supplements to state-specific material, these books might pique interest in a state or point children to topics for further reading."—School Library Journal

"The titles in this series are perfect for reports on the fifty states." —Kiss the Book blog

"For a short format, many things are covered in the text, making this a good book for an introduction to research.. . .[and] a possible class read aloud or third-grade produced audio book....Mr. Geo is a fun and entertaining tour guide."—3rdgradereading.net

"A great addition to students' reading lists, although it certainly can  be a read aloud book for children with lower reading comprehension."—2ndgradereading.net

"Colorful, and sometimes dramatic illustrations."—2ndgradereading.net

"Students will develop further reading skills by using Mr. Geo's trip as a jumpstart to some further research and discovery of the state."—4thgradereading.net

"The 50 States to Celebrate series will be a great asset to primary classrooms and libraries. There is a broad audience for nonfiction informational text...it appeals to a wide range of  young readers."—Marla Conn,  Educational Consultant, Read-Ability, Inc., and former reading specialist for New York City Public Schools

"The 50 States to Celebrate series is a great way to excite kids about social studies. Mr. Geo is fun, entertaining, and informative."—Susan Stark, Editorial Director, Social Studies, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Education Group

From the Publisher