Booklist
The Regions of the United States series is an engaging and informative collection designed to help young learners explore the rich diversity of America’s five major regions: the Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, and West. Each book follows a clear, consistent structure that makes the content accessible while still offering plenty of depth for curious readers. Every title opens with an overview of the land before moving into focused chapters on land wildlife, weather, natural resources and industry, and the people who call the region home. The writing is straightforward and well-paced, making it ideal for developing readers who are ready to stretch their nonfiction. Midwest covers the charms and delights of America’s heartland from favorite foods such as barbecue, cheese curds, and pierogies to the wildlife such as muskrats, beavers, and eagles. Readers will love the exciting events like the MInnesota State Fair and landmarks and the landmarks such as Mount Rushmore featured in this title. Northeast wows with its diverse features: from the lights of NYC to the dairy farms of its rural areas. Readers will want to visit the magnificent Niagara Falls and the gorgeous seascapes of the Northeast state’s coastal scapes. The Midwest Facts spread is especially useful for classroom projects: it offers fast facts about the region’s population, largest cities, major sports teams, and a famous face, along with details about the smallest and largest states by area. Each book concludes with a glossary, which supports comprehension and vocabulary development. Bright, bold photography brings each region to life, capturing everything from sweeping landscapes to iconic foods and cultural festivals. Overall, the Regions of the United States series is an excellent resource for social studies units, research projects, or independent reading, offering both clarity and substance in an appealing, kid-friendly format.', Alana Jara, District Librarian, Clear Lake Community School District,'While the U.S. region featured here is gigantic, West conveys key facts in few words and a modest page count. Land, wildlife, and industry are some subjects highlighted. Gorgeous landscape photos feature prominently, and the text is further enhanced by colorful maps, inset photo close-ups, and bold diagrams. A visual spread of “Fast Facts” presents such information as state populations and major sports teams. Back matter is crisp and includes directions to access Factsurfer.com, a publisher-owned site offering a safer search of materials published for children. Designated a level-3 reader, this book’s moderate text complexity and pragmatic nonfiction features make it a great fit for primary-school students who have achieved some print fluency. The Regions of the United States series (5 titles) offers an engaging supplement to elementary social studies curricula. — Deidre Winterhalter
