Washington Monument

March 1, 2018
Grades K-2 These new additions to the Hello, America! series are of somewhat uneven quality, and the constraint of their very introductory reading level often shows. Each book provides a small amount of historical context for its featured structure and the person it is meant to honor, and includes historical and modern images as well as a child's-eye account of a visit; a labeled diagram of the monument or building and picture glossary conclude. Washington Monument, on the other hand, is the strongest volume, progressing nicely from an introduction to George Washington to the monument's construction to a child's plausible sense of wonder upon visiting the landmark. Given the varied quality, librarians and teachers may wish to pick and choose among the series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)