We don't live in Kansas, but my grandfather and his family came from this great state, so we were very excited to learn all about it in this neat book from Weekly Reader Publishing. Though this is not a large book (only 48 pages) it is very well put together and contains an in-depth look at The Sunflower State. It begins with an introduction on the history of Kansas, including how it got its name, and continues with an almanac filled with fantastic "Fast Facts" about the state. Some of these include: motto, state bird, flower, song, and largest cities. You'll learn about the history, land, people and culture. The economy, politics and government are also topics of interest, as well as notable people, state events and celebrations. Perhaps you would like to visit the "World's Largest Ball of Twine"? This book will tell you where to find it! We enjoyed reading about the Native Americans and the "Wild West" and were fascinated by all of the weather facts and "Twister Terms." There is even a "Kansas History At-A-Glance" time line from 1541 to 2001. This book has color photographs, maps, charts and graphs throughout and web links for additional exploration on the Internet. Priced at $11.95, it would be a great accompaniment to any Unit Study on the state of Kansas. This is only one book in the World Almanac Library of the States series by Weekly Reader. I'd like to have them all!

Product Review by Amy Christy, Marketing Assistant- Special Projects Team, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, February, 2009