Welcome to Arizona (Welcome To)

December 1, 2020
Arizona is more than a desert, and its desert is more than sand. From the Grand Canyon to a rich array of wild plants and animals, this Southwestern state is brimming with nature's treasures. Basic identifying information, such as the state flower and motto, is introduced in tandem with popular tourist attractions, such as the food and the Four Corners Monument. This entry in the Welcome to... series celebrating the states offers detailed, whimsical illustrations to accompany the scattering of pertinent factoids across the pages. (Companion titles on California, Florida, and Texas publish simultaneously.) Regrettably, the humans depicted are all greeting-card cute and identical in their stylized, round faces; racial difference is indicated only via skin color and hair color and texture. Also concerning is the design decision that places a Din� (Navajo) family producing traditional crafts (with nary a modern convenience in sight) directly after the dinosaurs and before Grand Canyon wildlife. The saguaro is featured, but there is no mention of the Tohono O'odham who have been harvesting the fruit for millennia--with the exception of a brief inclusion in a laundry list of Native peoples. Traditional Mexican/Mexican American and Native foods are displayed on a double-page spread with absolutely no allusions to the peoples or cultures. The underlying dismissal of Arizona's rich pre-Anglo history is implicit in both design and execution. (This book was reviewed digitally with 8-by-16-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.) Marginally informative and painfully superficial. (Informational picture book. 4-7)

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January 15, 2021

PreS-Gr 2-These four books introduce young readers to the states of Arizona, California, Florida, and Texas. Each volume contains maps and illustrations of state birds, mammals, and interesting sites. Arizona features illustrations of Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon; California depicts the redwood trees and the La Brea Tar Pits; Florida shows the Kennedy Space Center; and the Alamo is highlighted in Texas. Spreads spotlight foods that are enjoyed by the states' residents, including tacos, chili, sushi, chimichangas, and oranges. The narratives are straightforward, and information is provided in an engaging manner. The cheerful illustrations are enticing and display the diversity of each state's inhabitants. This series does not have many photographs. Students will have to turn to other sources for detailed report writing. However, curious readers should find these volumes to be intriguing introductions to U.S. geography. VERDICT More entertaining than the usual offerings about states, these titles should circulate well in elementary school and public libraries.-Margaret Nunes, formerly at Gwinnett County P.L., GA

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