N Is for Natural State: An Arkansas Alphabet

by Michael Shoulders, Rick Anderson (Illustrator)

Overview

Discover the unspoiled beauty of Arkansas in N is for Natural State: An Arkansas Alphabet. Acansa is the Sioux Indian name for the state we know today as Arkansas and this begins our alphabet journey. Next you'll find Blanchard Springs Cavern with its 80,000 bats and then to D is for Diamonds, and learn the Natural State is the only state that mines them. Illustrator Rick Anderson's rich and colorful images bring the beautiful vision of Arkansas to all readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781585360673
Publisher:	Sleeping Bear Press
Publication date:	11/01/2003
Series:	Discover America State by State
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	426,523
Product dimensions:	11.30(w) x 9.32(h) x 0.43(d)
Age Range:	6 - 10 Years

Editorial Reviews

Pieces of Arkansas's history, geography, agriculture, and society pepper this book, which uses the alphabet to tie everything together. Each letter represents an aspect of the state, and is joined by a four-line poem and a few paragraphs giving more details about the subject at hand. For example, "L" is for "Little Rock," which is the state capital. The accompanying paragraph explains how this city earned its name. Compared to the main text, the alphabet poetry is over-simplified. In other words, anyone who can read at this level does not need to be briefed on which letters begin which words. Many of the poems, for example, have lines such as "Diamonds begin with the letter D." One can see that for the most part, these choppy rhymes add nothing to the book. On a more positive note, the book is easy to read and has an appealing design, filled with colorful art that truly complements the text. The facts about Arkansas are very inclusive, as it covers so many aspects and is therefore an informative resource. 2003, Sleeping Bear Press, Ages 12 to 15.
—Cherie Ilg Haas

Children's Literature