Book Reviews
State of Wilderness:
Stories for Children Magazine 5 Star Review
REVIEWED BY: Wayne Walker
Geography was one of my favorite subjects in school. Even at home as a child, on a rainy day I could spend hours of delight with an atlas or a set of encyclopedias in which I could read about different places. I still enjoy learning about various countries, states, and other localities on earth. The study of geography can be dreary and boring when reduced to rote memorization of nations, capitals, and such information. However, it can also be fun, as this first book in the "Junior Geography Detective Squad 50 States Mystery Trivia Series" shows. This novel presentation of geographical facts about the United States is a fascinating way to reinforce geographical awareness, something that studies show is sorely lacking in our children's education.
Matt Patterson is almost thirteen and likes to hang out with his friend Guy Lombard. They enjoy not only skateboarding and video games but also geography. Matt's eleven year old sister Mary Beth also joins Matt and Guy. Matt's mother has given him a new hand-held geography game that has both a screen and a voice. It gives a set of clues, going from obscure to more well-known, about one of the fifty states. As Matt, Guy, and Mary Beth ponder the clues and try to guess the state, the reader moves along with them and can try his own hand at determining which state is being described. As the "Junior Geography Detective Squad" passes through the fifty states of the series, there are also "bonus clues" about one of the five territories which are part of the United States.
People like me who enjoy geography and trivia buffs in general will really like this book. However, it should especially appeal to middle school aged students whose lives revolve around video games. Take a break from the computer or pod for a few minutes and read a book that will be both fun and educational. It is well written and the drawings by Aidana WillowRaven help the reader visualize what the "Junior Geography Detective Squad" is seeing. When I received my copy and began to look over it, I found it so interesting that I finished it in one sitting. I guessed the state by Clue #4, but if you cannot guess it by Clue #25, you need to brush up on your U. S. geography! And if you want to know what those clues are, you will need to get the book. I look forward to further volumes in the series.
State of Quarries:
REVIEWED BY: Wayne Walker
Do you think that you know the United States? Then maybe you would be willing to take the "Junior Geography Detective Squad" challenge. Thirteen-year-old Matt Patterson's mother has given him a handheld geography game that has both a screen and a voice. It gives a set of clues, ranging from obscure to more well-known, about one of the fifty states. There are also "bonus clues" about one of the five territories that are part of the United States. I had the privilege of reviewing the first book of the "Junior Geography Detective Squad 50 States Mystery Trivia Series," which is entitled State of Wilderness, for Stories for Children Magazine back in October of last year, and it was fascinating.
In State of Quarries, the reader follows Matt and his eleven-year-old sister Mary Beth as they listen to the clues and try to guess the state. The challenge is to determine which state is being described before they do. Like its predecessor, this book is written in a very interesting style, and the drawings by Aidana WillowRaven help the reader see what the "Junior Geography Detective Squad" is experiencing. At just 69 pages of text, it is perfect for young readers, and for older readers, there are additional pages at the end with more information about the state, discussion questions, and a bibliography of resources for further study. Statistics show that the average high school student cannot go to a globe or world map and point out where Russia is located. This series won't help you find Russia on the map, but it will give you a better understanding of American geography. What a fun way to learn more about our country! The next book in the series will be State of Reservations.