C Is for Centennial: A Colorado Alphabet

This book is just wonderful. I loved reading it and enjoyed the illustrations. The illustrator got the feel of Colorado just right. Younger children will love the rhyming couplets, and will try to memorize them on the spot. Middle school children will find the sidebar texts interesting and full of fun facts about Colorado. As a Colorado resident, I especially enjoyed discovering the places and people the author featured. As an educator I feel this book would be a great addition to children's non-fiction collections at home and school and will appeal to kids ages 5-14.

"C is for Centennial" by Colorado native Louise Whitney is a wonderful and informative book about the beautiful state of Colorado-written in the alphabetical letter format. This delightful book celebrates Colorado's 100 plus years of statehood with rhymes and facts about selected Coloradoans, historical landmarks, natural resources, and even the state song. The text is creatively and well written, the corresponding illustrations are well chosen, complementary, and beautifully done, and the entire book is a treasure to read. Each new alphabetical letter that is introduced is so interesting that you want to immediately turn to the next page to see what the following letter represents! Many of the well-known sites (especially to visitors of the state) are represented, such as Mesa Verde, Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, Four Corners, and the Royal Gorge. But you will be surprised by the numerous additional facts about Colorado that you didn't know about such as herbal teas, the poetess who wrote "America the Beautiful", rodeos, the Pony Express, and even bicycles! Bravo to Louise Whitney for her authorship and extensive knowledge and to Helle Urban for her lovely and life-like illustrations throughout the book and the cover. You can really see in reading Whitney's creative work that she holds Colorado close to her heart. This book is not only for children of all ages; adults will also enjoy the illustrations and facts about Colorado. It is a real treat to sit back and read about a state well traveled and loved by many. "C is for Centennial" is a splendid book that needs to be in homes and on the shelves of school and community libraries. It will prove to be a valuable resource book for students who may be assigned the task of writing a state report in their classrooms.