One morning
Kansas wakes up unhappy; he is bored just sitting there in the middle of the country
all day. Kind Nebraska is sympathetic, and also very tired of hearing North
Dakota and South Dakota bicker all the time. They decide to have an all-states
party to get to know each other better – and share their favorite dishes. The
party is a great success; the states spend hours talking, laughing, dancing and
singing – and eating, of course. Idaho tries Georgia Peach Pie and New York
Cheesecake, Minnesota tries the Iowa Corn Surprise… They have such fun they
decide to switch places to see a new part of the great U.S.A. They rush home to
pack (Wisconsin packs some cheese, and New Mexico a cactus), and by the end of
the day they are all settled in new places. Well, after a few days Florida (who
switched with Minnesota) feels terribly cold, and Minnesota gets badly sunburned
– and situations elsewhere don’t feel quite right either. Everyone decides
there’s no place like home, and once they are settled again they are happy to
see their old neighbors and share their adventures and their new knowledge of
other states and places. The Scrambled
States of America is a delightfully wacky (but informative) geography
lesson. Author and illustrator Laurie Keller has given it just the right touch
with zany, colorful illustrations and a bazillion funny captions. It’s also a
wonderful metaphor for the value of walking in another’s shoes, even if you are a state. Ages 5-9.
