Gr 3-5-These books are well formatted and attractive, covering approximately the same basic information as many of the other series currently available for this audience. Each cover beckons readers with a large and clear photo of a child from that state; the full-color photos inside are good sized and up-to-date. The texts are well written and informative, and each volume includes a local recipe, state flag and seal, state song, famous native-born people, festivals and celebrations. Directions for a simple craft loosely connected to the state include a Mardi Gras mask for Louisiana, a pioneer sun bonnet for Nevada, and a colonial silhouette for Georgia. A minor irritation is that none of the maps is detailed enough to show many of the areas that are referred to in the text, e.g., Louisiana's Atchafalaya Swamp and Nevada's Sierra Nevada mountains. Nor do the maps show the bordering states (although they are listed and there is a small U.S. map on the title page that labels all the states and shows locations). The "Hello U.S.A." series (Lerner) has more information, and the suggested reading list includes fiction that is linked to each state-an attractive feature. Because of Hurricane Katrina, most of the books on Louisiana are outdated; the other two titles are serviceable additions where material for reports is needed.-Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Well-organized and accessible chapters cover each state's geography, wildlife, history, economy, people, and government. Lists of important dates in history and of cultural events, an activity or craft, and a related recipe and song round out the volumes. Photographs break up the text. Report writers will find the books informative (Louisana doesn't cover 2005's Hurricane Katrina, however). Reading list, websites. Ind.