S is for Sunshine: A Florida Alphabet

I bought this for my grandchildren, and really enjoyed reading it myself. Each page is in two parts -- the inside 2/3 of each page has words unique to Florida with beautiful illustrations for each letter of the alphabet, written in larger print and in language children can understand. The outside 1/3 of each page has smaller print and goes into detail about the words and pictures, expanding knowledge for curious children and adults. I highly recommend this book!

This is my new favorite alphabet book to read to my 3 year old daughter. We both love looking at all of the pictures of the places we have been to and the items and animals as the relate to the state of Florida. Each page features a letter, a rhyme even small children can follow, and a beautiful picture. There are also sidebars where more in depth information on the pictures is provided for more advanced readers. Our favorites are N for Nasa, S for St Augustine, and of course W for Walt Disney World. I foud the sidebar information okay in content. The letter U is for underwater Aquarium and I thought that maybe some info on the state aquarium in Tampa would have been nice if it was provided but it was not. On the other hand the page for the letter Z for Zebra Longwing butterfly mentioned Butterfly World an attraction that is located just down the street from us. I think the book would have benefited from some more in depth informnation on places you could specifically visit. That said I think the author did an amazing job of matching letters with Florida concepts. X is always a tricky one. I would recommend this book to any child who wants to learn more about the state of Florida and especially to children learning the alphabet who live in Florida. This book is a wonderful way to learn about our state.

S is for Sunshine is not an ordinary alphabet book. It's a unique alphabet book of the Sunshine State...Florida. What makes it unique are not the beautiful, pastel-colored illustrations by Michael Glenn Monroe, but the combination of narrative and expository passages for each letter of the alphabet. The simple, rhyming lines depict a particular characteristic of Florida, for example, A is for alligator. Along the sides of the page is a well-written descriptive passage explaining about the alligator and its habitat. The rhymes and illustrations are especially appealing to the younger child, however, the accompanying passages provide a rich history and facts about Florida for the intermediate reader. What a wonderful book for children!