HELLO, USA!

A concept board book featuring the 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Evanson uses counting, months of the year, colors, shapes, and opposites to showcase a different standout historical moment, monument, food, or image from each state and the U.S. capital. Some of the examples may resonate with toddlers: Georgia’s peaches and sunflower fields in Kansas, for instance. Others, like Rosa Parks’ historic civil rights bus ride in Alabama, will take some explaining. The nuance required to understand that scene and others, like six soldiers reenacting the Revolutionary War, may go beyond what a board-book reader could grasp. Most of the illustrations do match up to what the states are known for, though residents of each might have their own opinions. The book is divided into sections, one for each concept; each section is outlined in a different color with matching state labels, a helpful though subtle inclusion. Characters are racially diverse, and different cultures are recognized and celebrated; readers see San Francisco’s iconic Chinese New Year Festival and the hoop dances of the Nanticoke Indians. Of the various concepts spotlighted, counting and colors are perhaps the most purposeful, while the months, shapes, and opposites are less successful. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Read this for broad exposure to state names and places as opposed to concept learning.