Our Texas

February 1, 2010
Gr 12-Sixteen places in Texas are introduced in a-a-b-b verses. Some rhymes flow off the tongue, while others are harder to read. "In Houston the oil barons crave Texas tea!/That black gold's a priceless commodity./The city hosts NASA and its astronauts/whom Mission Control oversees from this spot," and "Up north in the Panhandle sits Amarillo./There are plenty of cattle, but few armadillo./The Grand Canyon of Texas is something to view./With luck you might spy the horned toad in there, too." Each four-line poem provides facts regarding location and features of the area. Most are commonly known cities: Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Houston, and El Paso; others are less recognized, including Gonzales, Kingsville, and Tyler. The realistic colored-pencil illustrations are big and bold and done in dark tones; several different concepts are incorporated on a spread. Acceptable if materials are needed for younger students regarding the state and its diversity."Sandra Welzenbach, Villarreal Elementary School, San Antonio, TX"

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