Highlawn Mornings at Corinth

A to Z United States Geography

2008-05-14T11:09:00.000-07:00

W is for Washington
Capital: Olympia
State Flower: Coast Rhododendron
State Bird: Willow Goldfinch
Story: Mary was a Little Lamb by Gloria Rand c. 2004
[E Fiction Rand]
Mrs. Paradise figures out what to do with Mary, a wayward, abandoned lamb. Based on a true story.
Video: This Lamb has been to School!
Want to read more about Washington?
Fiction:
Journal of Curious Letters by James Dashner c. 2008 [JF Dashner]
Grape Thief by Kristine Franklin c. 2003 [JF Franklin]
Non-fiction:
Washington by Susan LaBella c. 2006 [ER LaBella]
Washington by Christine Webster c. 2003 [J 917.97 Webster]
Washington Facts and Symbols by Emily McAuliffe c. 1999
[E 917.97 McAuliffe]

W is for West Virginia
Capital: Charleston
State Flower: Rhododendron
State Bird: Cardinal
Story:More Than Anything Else by Marie Bradby c. 1995
[EF Bradby]
Nine-year-old Booker works with his father and brother at the saltworks but dreams of the day when he'll be able to read.
Video: Quotations from Booker T. Washington
Want to read more about West Virginia?
Fiction:
Billy Creekmore by Tracey Porter c. 2007 [JF Porter]
Way Down Deep by Ruth White c. 2007 [JF White]
Haunting of Swain's Fancy by Brenda Seabrooke c. 2003 [J Mystery Seabrooke]
Non-fiction:
West Virginia by Susan LaBella c. 2006 [ER LaBella]
West Virginia by Barbara Somervill c. 2003 [J 917.54 Somervill]
West Virginia Facts and Symbols by Kathy Feeney c. 2000 [E 917.54 Feeney]

W is for Wisconsin
Capital: Madison
State Flower: Wood Violet
State Bird: Robin
Story: Summertime in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
c. 1996 [EF Wilder]
A little girl and her pioneer family spend a summer in the Big Woods of Wisconsin.
Video: Laura Ingalls Wilder Report
Want to read more about Wisconsin?
Fiction:
Bird Lake Moon by Kevin Henkes c.2008 [JF Henkes]
A Little House of their Own by Celia Wilkins c. 2005 [JF Wilkins]
Ida B: and her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster.... c. 2004 [JF Hannigan]
Right Here on the Spot by Sharon Addy c. 1999 [EF Addy]
Non-fiction:
How to Draw Wisconsin's Sights and Sounds by Stephanie Peters c. 2002 [J 917.75 Peters]
Wisconsin by Bettina Ling c. 2002 [J 917.75 Ling]
Century Farm by Cris Peterson c. 1999 [E 630 Peterson]

W is for Wyoming
Capital: Cheyenne
State Flower: Indian Paintbrush
State Bird: Missouri Meadow-lark
Story: True Heart by Marissa Moss c. 1999 [EF Moss]
At the turn of the century, a young woman who works on the railroad accomplishes her yearning ambition to become an engineer when a male engineer is injured and can't drive his train.
Video: Wyoming Steam Engines

Want to read more about Wyoming?
Fiction:
A Blizzard Year by Gretel Ehrlich c. 1999 [JF Ehrlich]
Red Dog by Bill Wallace c. 1987 [JF Wallace]
Non-fiction:
A Young Shepard by Cat Urbigkit c. 2006 [E 636.3 Urbigkit]
Wyoming by Alexandra Hanson-Harding c. 2003 [J 917.87 Hanson]
Wyoming Facts and Symbols by Muriel Dubois c. 2000 [E 917.87 Dubois]

A to Z Geography

2008-05-08T07:54:00.000-07:00

U is for Utah
Capital: Salt Lake City
State Flower: Sego Lily
State Bird: California Gull
Story: White Water by Jonathan and Aaron London c.2001 [E Fiction London]
Inspired by a real-life rafting trip, Jonathan London and his son, Aaron, take readers on a white water adventure down the Green River of Utah.
Video: Kayaking on the Green River in Utah.
Want to read more about Utah?
Fiction:
A Mother to Embarrass Me by Carol Williams [J Fiction Williams]
Ghost Horses by Gloria Skurzyns c. 2000 [J Mystery Skurzyns]
Non-fiction:
Great Salt Lake by Mary Schulte c. 2006 [ER Schulte]
Utah by P.J. Neri c. 2002 [J 917.92 Neri]
How to Draw Utah's Sights and Symbols by Eric Fein c. 2002 [J 917.92 Fein]
Utah Facts and Symbols by Kathy Feeney c. 2000 [E 917.92 Feeney]

V is for Vermont
Capital: Montpelier
State Flower: Red Clover
State Bird: Hermit Thrush
Story: Nora's Ark by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock c. 2005 [E Fiction Kinsey-Warnock]
During the Vermont flood of 1927, a girl and her grandmother share their new hilltop house with neighbors and animals.
Video: Happy Vermont Cows

Want to read more about Vermont?
Fiction:
Where the Great Hawk Flies by Liza Ketchum c. 2005 [J Fiction Ketchum]
Game of Sunken Places by M.T. Anderson c. 2004 [J Fiction Anderson]
Justin Morgan Had a Horse by Marguerite Henry c. 2002 [ J Fiction Henry]
Snow Comes to the Farmby Natalie Kinsey-Warnock c. 2001 [E Fiction Kinsey]
Non-fiction:
Vermont by Jan Czech c. 2002 [J 917.43 Czech]
Vermont Facts and Symbols by Kathy Feeney

V is for Virginia
Capital: Richmond
State Flower: American Dogwood
State Bird: Cardinal
Story: The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant c. 1985 [E Fiction Rylant]
The relatives come to visit from Virginia and everyone has a wonderful time.
Video:Virginia Vineyard Harvest

Want to read more about Virginia?
Fiction:
Virginia Bound by Amy Butler c. 2003 [J Fiction Butler]
Alec's Primer by Mildred Walter c. 2004 [E Fiction Walter]
Non-Fiction:
Virginia by Sandy Pobst c. 2004 [J975.5 Pobst]
Virginia By Jan Mader c. 2003 [ER Mader]

A to Z United States Geography

2008-03-31T12:55:00.000-07:00

R is for Rhode Island
Capital: Providence
State Flower: Common Blue Violet
State Bird: Rhode Island Red
Story: Moon Trouble by M.C. Helldorfer c. 1994 [EF Helldorfer]
When the moon falls into Farmer Klank's river, every attempt to get it back into place fails, until Paul Bunyan is called.Video: Walt Disney's Paul Bunyan cartoon
Want to read more about Rhode Island?
Fiction:
Finding Providence: the story of Roger Williams by Avi c. 1997 [ER Avi]
The Art of Keeping Cool by Janet Taylor Lisle c. 2000 [J Fiction Lisle]
Non-fiction:
Rhode Island by Susan LaBella c. 2007 [ER LaBella]
Rhode Island by Robin Doak c. 2004 [J 974.5 Doak]
North East by Schlessinger Media c. 2004 [J DVD 917.4 Northeast]

S is for South Carolina
Capital: Columbia
State Flower: Yellow Jessamine
State Bird: Great Carolina Wren
Story: Carolina Shout! by Alan Schroeder c. 1995 [E Fiction Schroeder]
A young girl describes the music she hears in the cries of various vendors on the streets of Charleston, South Carolina.
Video: Charleston, South Carolina

Want to read more about South Carolina?
Fiction:
The Calling by Cathryn Clinton c. 2001 [J Fiction Clinton]
Non-Fiction:
Let Them Play by Margot Raven c. 2005 [E 796.357 Raven]
South Carolina by Richard Worth c. 2004 [J 975.7 Worth]

S is for South Dakota
Capital: Pierre
State Flower: Pasque Flower
State Bird: Ring-necked Pheasant
Story: Bad River Boys: A Meeting of the Lakota Sioux with Lewis and Clark by Virginia Sneve c. 2005
A fictional account of an encounter with Lewis and Clark from the point of view of three young Lakota boys.
Video: Lakota Storyteller and Hoop Dancer
Want to read more about South Dakota?
Fiction:
Prairie Whispers by Frances Arrington c. 2003 [J Fiction Arrington]
Prairie Summer by Bonnie Geisert c. 2002 [J Fiction Geisert]
Year without Rain by D. Anne Love c. 2000 [J Fiction Love]
Non-Fiction:
South Dakota by Dale-Marie Bryan c. 2007 [ER Bryan]
South Dakota by Caryn Yacowitz c. 2003 [J 917.83 Yacowitz]
How to Draw South Dakota's Sights and Symbols by S. Peters c. 2002 [J 917.83 Peters]

T is for Tennessee
Capital: Nashville
State Flower: Iris
State Bird: Common Mocking-bird
Story:Swamp Angel by Anne Isaacs c. 1994 [EF Isaacs]
Along with other amazing feats, Angelica Longrider, also known as Swamp Angel, wrestles a huge bear, known as Thundering Tarnation, to save the winter supplies of the settlers in Tennessee.
Video: Tennessee History for Kids
Want to read more about Tennessee?
Fiction:
Gnat Stokes and the Foggy Bottom Swamp Queen by Sally Keehn c. 2005 [J Fiction Keehn]
Cold in Summer by Tracy Barrett c. 2003 [J Fiction Barrett]
Where I'd Like to Be by Frances Dowell c. 2003 [J Fiction Dowell]
Non-Fiction:
Tennessee by Kim Valzania c. 2003 [ER Valzania]
Tennessee by Karen Silvaitis c. 2003 [J 917.68 Silvaitis]
Tennessee Facts and Symbols by Kathy Feeney c. 2000 [E 917.68 Feeney]

T is for Texas
Capital: Austin
State Flower: BlueBonnet
State Bird: Common Mocking-bird
Story: The Ghost of Sifty Sifty Sam by Angela Shelf Medearis c. 1997 [E Fiction Medearis]
To win a $5,000 reward, a chef named Dan agrees to stay in a haunted house overnight and when he meets a very hungry ghost, he gets more than he had expected.
Video: Texas Ghost Children
Want to read more about Texas?
Fiction:
Very Ordered Existence of Merilee Marvelous by Suzanne Crowley c. 2007 [J Fiction Crowley]
Truth about Sparrows by Marion Hale c. 2004 [J Fiction Hale]
The Cat Who Liked Potato Soup by Terry Farish c. 2003 [E Fiction Farish]
Non-Fiction:
Texas by Carmen Bredeson c. 2002 [ER Bredeson]
How to Draw Texas's Sights and Symbols by Aileen Weintraub c. 2002 [J 917.64 Weintraub]
Texas by Kathy Pelta c. 2002 [J 917.64 Pelta]

A to Z United States Geography

2008-02-26T16:54:00.000-08:00

O is for Ohio
State Capital: Columbus
State Bird: Cardinal
State Flower: Scarlet Carnation
Story: Nothing Here But Trees by Jean Van Leeuwen
c. 1998 [EF VanLeeuwen]
A close-knit pioneer family carves out a new home amidst the
densely forested land of Ohio in the early nineteenth century.
Video: Building a Log Cabin

Want to read more about Ohio?
Fiction:
The Onts by Dan Greenburg c. 2005 [JF Greenburg]
Crooked River by Shelley Pearsall c. 2005 [JF Pearsall]
Bingleman's Midway by Karen Ackerman c. 1995 [EF Ackerman]
Non-fiction:
Ohio by Nancy Kline c. 2002 [J917.71 Kline]
How to Draw Ohio's Sights and Symbols by Aileen Weintraub c. 2002 [J917.71 Weintraub]

O is for Oklahoma
State Capital: Oklahoma City
State Bird: Swallow-tailed Flycatcher
State Flower: Mistletoe
Story: The Dust Bowl by David Booth c. 1997 [EF Booth]
A young boy listens to his grandfather's story of farm life
during the Dust Bowl years.
Video: Dust Bowl Videos

Want to read more about Oklahoma?
Fiction:
Legend of Bass Reeves by Gary Paulsen c. 2006 [JF Paulsen]
Stop the Train! a Novel by Geraldine McCaughrean c. 2003 [JF McCaughrean]
They Came from the Bronx by Neil Waldman c. 2001 [EF Waldman]
Non-fiction:
Oklahoma by Linda Saylor-Merchant c. 2003 [J917.66 Saylor]
Oklahoma Facts and Symbols by Karen Gibson c. 2001 [E917.66 Gibson]

O is for Oregon
State Capital: Salem
State Bird: Western Meadowlark
State Flower: Oregon Grape
Story: Eagle Boy by Richard Lee Vaughn c. 2000 [EF Vaughan]
An Indian boy's friendship with eagles ultimately saves his
village in the Pacific Northwest from starvation.
Video: Bald Eagle Convention in Kalamath Falls Oregon

Want to read more about Oregon?
Fiction:
Papa and the Pioneer Quilt by Jean Van Leeuwen c. 2007 [EF Van Leeuwen]
Operation Clean Sweep by Darleen Beard c. 2004 [JF Beard]
Non-fiction:
The Oregon Trail by Elaine Landau c. 2006 [E978.02 Landau]
Oregon by Susan LaBella c. 2007 [ER LaBella]

P is Pennsylvania
State Capital: Harrisburg
State Bird: Ruffed Grouse
State Flower: Mountain Laurel
Story: Down Buttermilk Lane by Barbara Mitchell c. 1993 [EF Mitchell]
An Amish family, traveling by buggy, spends a day doing errands in
the village, visiting, and returning home in time for supper.
Video: Some Amish History and Vocabulary

Want to read more about Pennsylvania?
Fiction:
Chase by Jessie Haas c. 2007 [JF Haas]
Sweetgrass Basket by Marlene Carvell c. 2005 [JF Carvell]
Homespun Sarah by Verla Kay c. 2003 [EP Kay]
Non-fiction:
Old Penn Station by William Low c. 2007 [E385.3 Low]
Pennsylvania by Deborah DeFord c. 2004 [J974.8 DeFord]

A to Z United States Geography

2008-02-14T13:31:00.001-08:00

N is for New Mexico
Capital:Santa Fe
State Bird:Road Runner
State Flower:Yucca Flower
Story: Alice Nizzy Nazzy the Witch of Santa Fe
by Tony Johnston c. 1995 [EF Johnston]
When Manuela's sheep are stolen, she has to go to Alice Nizzy Nazzy's talking road-runner-footed adobe house and try to get the witch to give the flock back.
Video: Tale of Baba Yaga

Want to read more about New Mexico?
Fiction:
Secrets in the Hills by Kathleen Ernst c. 2006 [J Mystery Ernst]
Santero's Miracle by Rudolfo Anaya c. 2004 [EF Anaya]
Climbing the Rainbow by Joy Hulme c. 2004 [JF Hulme]
Non-fiction:
New Mexico by Cynthia Walker c. 2004 [ER Walker]
New Mexico by Theresa Early c. 2003 [J917.89 Early]

N is for New York
Capital: Albany
State Bird: Bluebird
State Flower: Rose
Story: Tabitha the Fabulous Flying Feline by Carol Ann Timmel c.1996 [EF Timmel]
When her cage opens accidentally during a flight to California, Tabitha the cat wanders off and becomes lost. Based on a true story about the author's pet cat.
Video: Building an Airplane in Timelapse

Want to read more about New York?
Fiction:
Dodsworth in New York by Tim Egan c. 2007 [ER Egan]
The Top Job by Elizabeth Kimmel c. 2007 [EF Kimmel]
Chaos King by Laura Ruby c. 2007 [JF Ruby]
Non-fiction:
Old Penn Station by William Low c. 2007 [E385.3 Low]
New York by Timothy Paulson c. 2004 [J974.7 Paulson]
New York by Sarah DeCapua c. 2002 [ER DeCapua]

N is for North Carolina
Capital:Raleigh
State Bird: Cardinal
State Flower:
American Dogwood
Story: Seabiscuit, Wild Pony of the Outer Banks]by Anne Russell c.2001 [EF Russell]
Seabiscuit, a wild pony who lives on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, enjoys being free to swim in the ocean and climb the sand dunes.
Video: Wild Ponies of North Carolina Outer Banks
Want to read more about North Carolina?
Fiction:
How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor c. 2007 [JF O'Connor]
Blue by Joyce Hostetter c. 2006 [JF Hostetter]
Bessie Smith and the Night Riders by Sue Stauffacher c. 2006 [EF Stauffacher]
Non-Fiction:
North Carolina by Richard Worth c. 2004 [J975.6 Worth] North Carolina by Linda Brennan c. 2003 [ER Brennan]
North Carolina by Nan Alex c. 2001 [J917.56 Alex]

N is for North Dakota
Capital: Bismark
State Bird:
Western Meadowlark
State Flower:
Wild Pairie Rose
Story: The Range Eternalby Louise Erdrich c. 2002 [EF Erdrich]
Inside one family's little cabin, stood the Range Eternal. The woodburning stove provided warmth and comfort, delicious soups, and hot potatoes to warm cold hands on frozen winter mornings.
Video: Ghosts of North Dakota News Story
Want to read more about North Dakota:
Fiction:
Jake's Orphan by Margaret Brooke c. 2000 [JF Brooke]
Non-fiction:
North Dakota by Robin Silverman c. 2003 [J917.84 Silverman]
How to Draw North Dakota's Sights and Symbols by Melody Mis c. 2002 [J917.84 Mis]
North Dakota Facts and Symbols by Karen Gibson c. 2001 [E917.84 Gibson]

A to Z United States Geography

2008-01-28T07:23:00.000-08:00

N is for Nebraska
Capital: Lincoln
State Bird: Western Meadowlark
State Flower: Goldenrod
Story: Dandelions by Eve Bunting c.1995 [EF Bunting]
Zoe and her family find strength in each other as they make a new
home in the Nebraska territory.
Videos: Nebraska's Diversity/NE's Earliest Western Movie

Want to read more about Nebraska?
Fiction:
Room One: A Mystery or Two by Andrew Clements c. 2006 [J Mystery Clements]
Worth by A. LaFaye c. 2004 [J Fiction LaFaye]
Prairie Friends by Nancy Levinson c. 2003 [ER Levinson]
Non-Fiction:
Nebraska by Myra Weatherly c. 2003 [J917.82 Weatherly]
How to Draw Nebraska's Sights and Symbols by Aileen Weintraub c. 2002 [J917.82 Weintraub]

N is for Nevada:
Capital: Carson City
State Bird: Mountain Bluebird
State Flower: Sagebrush
Story: Ride Like the Wind: A Tale of the Pony Express by Bernie Fuchs c. 2004 [EF Fuchs]
In Nevada in 1861, a young Pony Express rider races for his life, pursued by seven Paiute warriors who are determined to drive white settlers out of their territory.
Video: Two Pony Express Museums

Want to read more about Nevada?
Fiction:
Wild One by Terri Farley c. 2002 [J Fiction Farley]
Runaways by Zilpha Snyder c. 1999 [J Fiction Snyder]
Non-fiction:
Nevada by Suzanne Williams c. 2003 [J917.93 Williams]
How to Draw Nevada's Sights and Symbols by Eric Fein c. 2002 [J917.53 Fein]
Nevada Facts and Symbols by Karen Gibson c. 2001 [E917.93 Gibson]

N is for New Hampshire
Capital: Concord
State Bird: Purple Finch
State Flower: Purple Lilac
Story: Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall c. 1979 [EF Hall]
Describes the day-to-day life of an early-nineteenth-century
New England family throughout the changing seasons.
Video: New Hampshire and Ox Pulling

Want to read more about New Hampshire?
Fiction:
Granite Baby by Lynne Bertrand c. 2005 [EFBertrand]
Lucy's Summer by Donald Hall c. 1995 [EF Hall]
Non-Fiction:
New Hampshire by Michael Teitelbaum c. 2004 [J974.2 Teitelbaum]
New Hampshire by Terry Shannon c. 2002 [J917.42 Shannon]
New Hampshire Facts and Symbols by Muriel Dubois c.2000 [E917.42 Dubois]

N is for New Jersey
Capital: Trenton
State Bird: Eastern Goldfinch
State Flower: Violet
Story: Bad Bears in the Big City by Daniel Pinkwater c.2003 [EF Pinkwater]
Irving and Muktuk, two muffin-eating polar bears from the frozen north, have some trouble fitting into life at the zoo in Bayonne, New Jersey.
Video: Polar Bear Humor and Pictures

Want to read more about New Jersey?
Fiction:
Penny from Heaven by Jennifer Holm c. 2006 [JF Holm]
Amber Brown is Green with Envy by Paula Danziger c. 2003 [JF Danziger]
Battlefield Ghost by Margery Cuyler c. 1999 [JF Cuyler]
Non-Fiction:
New Jersey by Susan Evento c. 2004 [ER Evento]
New Jersey by Jon Sterngass c. 2004 [J974.9 Sterngass]

A to Z United State Geography

2008-01-05T08:10:00.000-08:00

M is for Minnesota
Capital: St Paul
State Bird: Common Loon
State Flower:Pink and white Lady Slippers
Story: Marvin of the Great North Woods by Kathryn Lasky c. 1997
[EF Laskey]
When his Jewish parents send him to a Minnesota logging camp to escape the influenza epidemic of 1918, ten-year-old Marven finds a special friend.
Video: Logging With Horses
What to read more about Minnesota:
Fiction:
Land of the Buffalo Bones by Marion Bauer c. 2003 [JF Dearamerica Bauer]
Dear Papa by Anne Ylvisaker c. 2002 [JF Ylvisaker]
Clouds of Terror by Catherine Welch c. 1994 [ER Welch]
Antler, Bear, Canoe: A Northwoods Alphabet Year by Betsy Bowen c. 1991 [EP Bowen]
Non-fiction:
Minnesota by Judy Hasdey c.2003 [J917.76 Hasdey]
The Best You Can Be by Kirby Puckett c. 1993 [E Bio Puckett]

M is for Mississippi
Capital: Jackson
State Bird: Northern Mockingbird
State Flower: Magnolia
Story: Good-bye, Charles Lindbergh by Louise Borden c. 1998
[EF Borden]
A farm boy meets his hero, Colonel Charles Lindbergh, when he lands his bi-plane in a field near Canton, Mississippi, in 1929.
Video: Learn more about Charles Lindbergh.

What to read more about Mississippi:
Fiction:
Aurora County All-Stars by Deborah Wiles c. 2007 [JF Wiles]
Crossing Bok Chitto by Tim Tingle c. 2006 [EF Tingle]
Each Little Bird that Sings by Deborah Wiles c. 2005 [JF Wiles]
Non-fiction:
Mississippi by Barbara Somervill c. 2003 [J917.62 Somervill]
Mississippi by Diane Siebert c. 2001 [E976.2 Siebert]

M is for Missouri
Capital: Jefferson City
State Bird: Eastern Bluebird
State Flower: Hawthorn
Story: The Great Shaking by Jo Carson c. 1994
[EF Carson]
A bear who was there describes three earthquakes in Missouri, in 1811 and 1812,
and their aftermath.
Video: New Madrid Earthquake
Want to read more about Missouri:
Fiction:
A Friendship for Today by Pat McKissack c. 2007 [JF McKissack]
When the River Ran Backwards by Emily Crofford c. 2000 [JF Crofford]
Ragtime Tumpie by Alan Schroeder c. 1989 [E Bio Baker]
Non-fiction:
Missouri by Mary Lago c. 2003 [J917.78 Lago]
A Kid's Guide to Kansas City by Diana Meyer c. 2002 [J917.7841 Meyer]
M is for Missouri by Carol Greene c. 2000 [E977.8 Greene]

M is for Montana
Capital: Helena
State Bird: Western Meadowlark
State Flower: Bitterroot
Story: Whitefish Will Rides Again! by Arthur Yorinks c. 1994
[EF Yorkinks]
Whitefish Will was the mightiest lawman in the history of the Old West. but then the penny-pinching townsfolk put him out to pasture... So what happens when the meanest gang of outlaws threatens the entire town?
Video: Tall Tale of Pecos Bill

Want to read more about Montana:
Fiction:
Dog Sense by Collard Sneed c. 2005 [JF Sneed]
When the Circus Came to Town by Lawrence Yep c. 2002 [JF Yep]
Brave Wolf and the Thunderbird by Joseph Medicine Crow c.1998 [E398.2 Medicine]
Non-fiction:
Montana by Rita LaDoux c. 2003 [J917.86 LaDoux]
The Story of "Stagecoach" Mary Fields by Robert Miller c. 1994 [E Bio Fields]

A to Z U.S. Geography

2007-12-04T07:43:00.001-08:00

M is for Maine
Capital:Augusta
State Bird:Chickadee
State Flower:White Pinecone and Tassel

Story:Fishing for Methuselah by Roger Roth c.1998 [EF Roth]
After having competed with each other in everything and been
outwitted by Methuselah, best friends Ivan and Olaf finally find
something on which they can cooperate.
Video: Ice Fishing Made Easy
Want to read more about Maine?
Fiction:
Sand Dollar Summer by Kimberly Jones c. 2006 [JF Jones]
Angus and Sadie by Cynthia Voight c. 2005 [JF Voight]
Lighthouse Dog to the Rescue by Angeli Perrow c. 2000 [EF Perrow]
One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey c. 1980 [EF McCloskey]
Non-Fiction:
The Cat of Strawberry Hill by Fran Hodgkins c. 2005 [E 636.8 Hodgkins]
Maine by Cynthia Walker c. 2005 [ER Walker]
Maine by Christine Webster c. 2003 [J 917.41 Webster]

M is for Maryland
Capital: Annapolis
State Bird: Baltimore Oriole
State Flower: Black-eyed Susan
Story: Waterman's Child by Barbara Mitchell c. 1997 [EF Mitchell]
Young Annie begins with her great grandmother and tells about
her family's life as fishermen on Chesapeake Bay.
Videos: Chesapeake Bay Oysters and Crabs

Want to read more about Maryland?
Fiction:
Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach c. 2005 [J Mystery Broach]
Mind Games by Jeanne Grunwell c. 2003 [JF Grunwell]
Starting with Alice by Phyllis Naylor c. 2002 [JF Naylor]
Non-Fiction:
Maryland by Susan LaBella c.2005 [ER LaBella]
Maryland by Mivhael Burgan c.2004 [J 975.2 Burgan]
Flag Maker by Susan Campbell Bartoletti c. 2004 [E 975.203 Bartoletti]

M is for Massachusetts
Capital: Boston
State Bird: Chickadee
State Flower: Trailing-Arbutus
Story:The Ghost of Nicholas Greebe by Tony Johnston c.1996 [EF Johnston]
In Colonial Massachusetts, the ghost of a recently buried farmer haunts his widow's house after a dog takes one of his bones on a long journey.
Videos:Two Massachusetts Ghost Stories

Want to read more about Massachusetts?
Fiction:
Anne Hutchinson's Way by Jeannine Atkins c. 2007 [EF Atkins]
Bread and Roses, Too by Katherine Paterson c. 2006 [JF Paterson]
Midnight Rider by Joan Hiatt c. 2005 [JF Hiatt]
Paul Revere's Ride by Shana Corey c. 2004 [ER Corey]
Non-Fiction:
Massachusetts by Deborah DeFord c. 2004 [J 974.4 DeFord]
Mayflower 1620: A new Look at a Pilgrim Voyage c. 2003 [J 974.4 Mayflower]
Massachusetts by Sarah DeCapua c. 2002 [ER DeCapua]

M is for Michigan
Capital: Lansing
State Bird: Robin
State Flower: Apple Blossom
Story: Clever Beatrice by Margaret Willey c. 2001 [E398.2 Willey]
A small, but clever, young girl outwits a rich giant and wins all his gold.
Video:Michigan Water and Wildlife

Want to read more about Michigan?
Fiction:
Kelly of Hazel Ridge by Robbyn Fankenh c 2006 [EF Fankenh]
Log Cabin Wedding by Ellan Howard c. 2006 [JF Howard]
Willow Run by Patricia Giff c. 2005 [JF Giff]
Boat Ride with Lillian Two Blossom by Patricia Polacco c. 1988 [EF Polacco]
Non-Fiction:
Michigan by Jan Mader c. 2003 [ER Mader]
Michigan by Elizabeth Johnson c. 2002 [J 917.74 Johnson]

A to Z United States Geography

2007-11-14T15:48:00.000-08:00

K is for Kansas
Capital: Topeka
State Bird: Western Meadowlark
State Flower: Sunflower
Story: Aunt Minnie and the Twister by Mary Skillings Prigger
c. 2002 [EF Prigger]
After a tornado rearranges their Kansas house, Aunt Minnie and the nine nieces and nephews living with her add on a much-needed new room.

You can learn more about tornadoes at FEMA for Kids.

Want to read some more about Kansas?
Fiction:
Airball: My Life in Briefs by Lisa Harkrader c. 2005 [JF Harkrader]
Prairie Day by Laura Wilder c.1997 [EF Wilder]
Climbing Kansas Mountains by George Shannon c. 1993 [EF Shannon]
Non-fiction:
Kansas by Jose Obregon c. 2006 [E917.81 Obergon]
Kansas by Christine Taylor Butler c. 2006 [ER TaylorBu]
Kansas by Scott Ingram c. 2003 [J 917.81 Ingram]

K is for Kentucky
Capital: Frankfort
State Bird: Cardinal
State Flower: Goldenrod
Story:The House in the Mail by Rosemary and Tom Wells c.2002 [EF Wells]
In 1927, Emily describes the ordering, arrival, and assembly of a mail-order house for her growing family.

Learn more about the Sears,Roebuck & Company's mail-order Modern Homes.

Want to read some more about Kentucky?
Fiction:
Jason Post: Magic at the Downs by Jon Jarmes c. 2005 [JF Jarmes]
Poor is Just a Starting Place by Leslie Wyatt c. 2005 [JF Wyatt]
We Played Marbles by Tres Seymour c.1998 [EF Seymour]
Ragsale by Artie Ann Bates c.1995 [EF Bates]
Non-fiction:
Kentucky by Kim Valzania c. 2003 [ER Valzania]
Daniel Boone by Janet Riehecky c. 2003 [J Bio Boone]

L is for Louisiana
Capital: Baton Rouge
State Bird: Eastern Brown Pelican
State Flower: Magnolia
Story:Feliciana Meets d'loup Garou by Tynia Thomassie
c.1998 [EF Thomassie]
Spunky Feliciana Feydra LeRoux outsmarts the Cajun boogeyman
who pays nightime visits to misbehaving children.

Want to read some more about Louisiana?
Fiction:
Chicken Joy on Redbean Road by Jacqueline Martin c. 2007 [EF Martin]
Epossimondas saves the day by Coleen Salley c. 2006 [EF Salley]
The Jazz of our Street by Fatima Shaik c. 1998 [EF Shaik]
Why Lapin's Ears are Long by Sharon Doucet c. 1997 [J398.2 Doucet]
Non-fiction:
Louisiana Purchase by Gloria Schlaepfer c. 2005 [J973.46 Schlaepfer]
Louisiana by Ellen Macaulay c. 2003 [J917.63 Macaulay]

Do you know where each of the states is located on the map?

Try the 50 States Game to see how good you really are.

A to Z United States Geography

2007-10-25T09:37:00.000-07:00

I is for Idaho
Capital: Boise
State Bird: Mountain Bluebird
State Flower: Syringa

Story: Mailing May by Michael O. Tunnell
c. 1997 [EF Tunnell]
In 1914, because her family cannot afford a train ticket to her
grandmother's town, May gets mailed and rides the mail car on the
train to see her grandmother. Based on an actual occurrence.

Video: Sante Fe's Final Mail Train

Want to read some more about Idaho?
Fiction:
The Wild Mare by Glenn Balch c. 2004 [JF Blach]
Best Friends by Loretta Krupinski c.1998 [EF Lupinski]
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech c. 1994 [JF Creech]
Non-fiction:
Idaho by Pam Zollman c. 2006 [ER Zollman]
Idaho by Amy Miller c. 2003 [J917.96 Miller]

I is for Illinois
Capital: Springfield
State Bird: Cardinal Grosbeak
State Flower: Purple Violet

Story:Grandmother's Dreamcatcher by Becky Ray McCain
c.1998 [EF McCain]
While spending a week with her grandmother who, like her, is a
Chippawa Indian, Kimmy learns to mkae a dreamcatcher, which
allows the sleeper to have only sweet dreams.

Video: Frybread

Try making your own dream catcher or with an
adult's help you could make some fry bread recipes!

Want to read some more about Illinois?
Fiction:
On the Wings of Heroes by Richard Peck c. 2007 [JF Peck]
Oliver's Game by Matt Tavares c. 2004 [EF Tavares]
Hog Music by M. C. Helldorfer c. 2000 [EF Helldorfer]
Non-fiction:
The Great Chicago Fire by Conrad Stein c.2005 [J977.311 Stein]
Illinois Allan Fowler c. 1999 [ER Fowler]

I is for Indiana
Capital: Indianapolis
State Bird: Cardinal Grosbeak
State Flower: Peony

Story: Dadblamed Union Army Cow by Susan Fletcher
c. 2007 [EF Fletcher]
During the Civil War, a devoted cow follows her owner when he joins the Union Army and, despite all his efforts to send her home, stays with him and his regiment until the end of the war. Based on a true story.

Video: Milking a Cow

Want to read some more about Indiana?
Fiction:
Abe Lincoln and the Muddy Pig by Stephen Krensky c. 2002 [ER Krensky]
Running Out of Time by Margaret Haddix c. 1995 [J Mystery Haddix]
The Floating House by Scott Russell Sanders c. 1995 [EF Sanders]
The Year of No More Corn by Helen Ketteman c. 1993 [EF Ketteman]
Non-fiction:
Indiana by Bettina Ling c. 2003 [J917.72 Ling]

I is for Iowa
Capital: Des Moines
State Bird: American Goldfinch
State Flower: Wild Prairie Rose

Story: Hurry! by Emily Arnold McCully c. 2000 [EF McCully]
In 1916, a young boy living in Iowa named Tom Elson meets a stranger who has an unusual animal called a farivox, maybe the last of its kind, and Tom becomes determined to buy it.

Videos: Extinct and Endangered Animals

Want to read some more about Iowa?
Fiction:
Old Town in the Green Groves:Laura Ingalls Wilder's Lost Little House Years by Cynthia Rylant c. 2002 [JF Rylant]
Non-fiction:
Iowa by Dynise Balcavage c. 2002 [J 917.77 Balcavage]
Iowa Facts and Symbols by Elaine Kule c. 2001 [E917.77 Kule]
A Pioneer Farm Girl: the Diary of Sarah Gillespie by Sarah Gillespie c. 2000 [J 977.7 Gillespie]

No U.S. states begin with the letter J.

A to Z United States Geography

2007-10-19T12:52:00.000-07:00

F is for Florida
Capital: Tallahasse
State Bird: Northern Mocking-Bird
State Flower: Orange Blossom

Story: Floating Home by David Getz c.1997 [EF Getz]
To look at her home in a new way for an art project, eight-year-old
Maxine rides on a space shuttle, where she experiences the many
thrills of takeoff and has the opportunity to indeed view her home,
Earth, in an entirely new way.
Video: Amazing Rocket Launch

Want to read some more about Florida?
Fiction:
Piper Reed, Navy Brat by Kimberly Holt c. 2007 [ JF Holt ]
Marley, a Dog Like No Other by John Grogan c. 2007 [ J 636.752 Grogan]
The Missing Manatee by Cynthia DeFelice c. 2005 [ J Mystery DeFelice ]
Non-fiction:
Florida by Carmen Bredeson c. 2002 [ER Bredeson]
How to Draw Florida's Sights and Symbols by Jennifer Quasha c. 2002
[J 917.59 Quasha]

G is for Georgia
Capital: Atlanta
State Bird: Brown Thrasher
State Flower: Cherokee Rose

Story: Full Steam Ahead
by Faye Gibbons c.2002[EF Gibbons]
A young boy and his grandpa ride on a steam locomotive chugging
through Georgia one hot summer day.
Video: Vintage Footage of the General Steam Engine

Want to read some more about Georgia?
Fiction:
Kira, Kira by Cynthia Kadahata c.2004 [JF Kadahata]
Fame and Glory in Freedom, Georgia by Barbara O'Connor c. 2003 [JF O'Connor]
Mama and Me and the Model T by Faye Gibbons c. 1999 [EF Gibbons]
Non-fiction:
Georgia by Robin Doak c. 2004 [J975.8 Doak]
Georgia by Carmen Bredeson c. 2002 [ER Bredeson]

H is for Hawaii
Capital: Honolulu
State Bird: Nene
State Flower: Pua Aloalo

Story: Luka's Quilt by Georgia Guback c.2004 [EF Guback]
When Luka's grandmother makes a traditional
Hawaiian quilt for her, she and Luka disagree over
the colors it should include.
Video: Hula Lesson

Want to read some more about Hawaii?
Fiction:
The Million Dollar Putt by Dan Gutman c.2006 [JF Gutman]
Junie B. Jones, First Grader: Aloha-ha-ha! by Barbara Park c.2006 [JF Park]
Dog-of-the-Sea-Waves by James Rumford c.2004 [EF Rumford]
Non-fiction:
The Last Princess: the story of Princess Kaiulani of Hawaii by Fay Stanley c.1991 [E Bio Kaiulani]
Hawaii by P.J. Neri c.2003 [J 919.69 Neri]

Entry forms for the 15th Annual Young Writers contest are now available!
Start writing your original story now and submit it at any Johnson County Library before January 25, 2008, for a chance to have your story illustrated by an actual children's book illustrator!

A to Z United States Geography

2007-10-19T11:15:00.000-07:00

No U.S. states begin with the letter B.

C is for California
Capital: Sacramento
State Bird: California Valley Quail
State Flower: California Poppy

Story: The Gullywasher by Joyce Rossi c. 1995 [EF Rossi]
Leticia's grandfather, who was a vaquero as a young man,
provides fanciful explanations for how he got his wrinkles,
white hair, round belly, and stooped frame.
Water runoff after Mojave Desert thunderstorm.

Want to read some more about California?
Fiction:
So Totally Emily Ebers by Lida Yee c. 2007 [JF Yee]
Catching Waves by Matt Christopher c. 2007 [JF Christopher]
Squirrel and John Muir by Emily McCully c. 2004 [EF McCully]
Non-fiction:
California by Kathy Pelta c. 2002 [J 914.94 Pelta]
California A to Z by Dorothy Weaver c. 1999 [E917.94 Weaver]

C is for Colorado
Capital: Denver
State Bird: Prairie Lark Finch
State Flower: Rocky Mountain Columbine

Story:High as a Hawk by T. A. Barron c. 2004 [EF Barron]
In 1905, eight-year-old Harriet Peters fulfills her dead
mother's dream by climbing Long's Peak in Colorado
with the help of an old mountain guide, Enos Mills.
Based on a true story.
Footage from Long's Peak Colorado.

Want to read more about Colorado?
Fiction:
The Secret School by Avi c. 2001 [JF Avi]
The Silver Dollar Girl by Katherine Ayres [JF Ayres]
Trouble at Coyote Canyon by Franlin Dixon [J Mystery Dixon]
Non-fiction:
Mesa Verde by Mary Quigley c. 2006 [J978.8 Quigley]
The Colorado River by Dale-Marie Bryan c. 2006 [ER Bryan]

C is for Connecticut
Capital: Hartford
State Bird:Robin
State Flower:Mountain Laurel

Story:The Storm by Anne Rockwell c. 1994 [EF Rockwell]
A girl and her family experience the power and excitement
of a big coastal storm.
Flotsam left on a beach after a big storm.

Want to read more about Connecticut?
Fiction:
I'm Still Scared by Tomie DePaola c. 2006 [JF DePaola]
Non-fiction:
The Forbidden Schoolhouse: by Suzanne Jurmain c. 2005 [J370 Jurmain]
Connecticut by Susan Evento c. 2004 [ER Evento]
Connecticut by Emily Lauren c. 2004 [J974.6 Lauren]

D is for Delaware
Capital: Dover
State Bird: Blue Hen Chicken
State Flower: Peach Blossom

Story:Red Bird by Barbara Mitchell c. 1996 [EF Mitchell]
Katie, also known as Red Bird, joins her family and
other Indians at the annual powwow in southern Delaware,
where they celebrate their Nanticoke heritage with music,
dancing, and special foods.
Video: Thunderbird 2007 Pow wow Native American Dancers

Want to read more about Delaware?
Fiction:
A Light in the Storm by Karen Hesse c. 1999 [JF Dearamer Hesse]
The Beaded Moccasins by Lynda Durrant c. 1998 [JF Durrant]
Non-fiction:
Delaware by Kelley Bennett c. 2004 [ER Bennett]
Delaware by Richard Worth c. 2004 [J975.1 Worth]

No U.S. states begin with the letter E.

A to Z United States Geography

2007-10-18T13:40:00.000-07:00

A is for Alabama
Capital: Montgomery
State Bird:Yellowhammer
State Flower: Camellia

Story: Chicken-chasing Queen of Lamar County
by Janice Harrington c.2008 [EF Harrington]
A young farm girl tries to catch her favorite chicken, until she learns something about the hen that makes her change her ways. Meet one smart chicken chaser. She can catch any chicken on her grandmother's farm except one - the elusive Miss Hen. In a hilarious battle of wits, the spirited narrator regales readers with her campaign to catch Miss Hen, but this chicken is "fast as a mosquito buzzing and quick as a fleabite." Our chicken chaser has her mind set on winning, until she discovers that sometimes it's just as satisfying not to catch chickens as it is to catch them.
Watch a baby chick hatch!

A is for Alaska
Capital:Juno
State Bird:Willow Ptarmigan
State Flower: Forget Me Not

Story: Eye of the Needle
by Terri Sloat c.1990 [E 398.2 Sloat]
Sent out by his grandmother to find food, Amik consumes a series of animals of ever-increasing size and brings back more than he thinks.
Video: See Tlinglit storyteller Gene Tagaban

A is for Arizona
Capital: Phoenix
State Bird: Cactus Wren
State Flower: Saguaro Cactus

Story: Big Tortilla Moon by Joy Cowley c. 1998 [EF Cowley]
Marta's grandmother comforts her with native wisdom after her homework is lost and her glasses broken.
See how to make corn tortillas from scratch.

Want to try and make these yourself?
Here is a recipe for corn tortillas.

A is for Arkansas
Capital: Little Rock
State Bird: Mockingbird
State Flower: Apple Blossom

Story: Good Morning Granny Rose
by Warren Ludwig c. 199o [E398.2 Ludwig]
Granny Rose and her old dog Henry get lost in a blizzard
and share a cave with a sleepy bear.
See the beauty of the Arkasas Ozark Mountains.