Smart About the Fifty States: A Class Report

The kids in Ms. Brandt's class create a special report on the United States of America, with each child doing research on ten states. There's a double-spread map of the whole U.S. and a page for every state jam-packed with trivia, interesting facts, handwritten captions, and jokes. At the end of the book is a map showing how the United States grew over time, a spread on the presidents and what states they hailed from, as well as a "bibliography" of books the kids used in their research. Written by a team of well-known author/artists, this 64-page Smart About History book is a great guide for kids.

Jon Buller has been writing and illustrating children’s books for more than twenty years and has published more than thirty works, including The Noisy Counting Book, 20,000 Baseball Cards Under the Sea, Toad on the Road, and I Love You, Good Night, with his wife, Susan Schade.

Susan Saunders is an author of many nonfiction books for children.

Maryann Cocca-Leffler (maryanncoccaleffler.com) is an award-winning author and illustrator of over sixty-five books for children. Maryann’s inspiration comes from all around her: children, family, school visits, current news, and the people she meets along the way. Her popular Let It… seasons series has sold over two million copies. Maryann grew up in the Boston area and has a BFA in illustration from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She now happily lives and works in Portland, Maine. You can follow Maryann on X (formerly Twitter) @MCLeffler and on Instagram @maryanncoccaleffler.

Joan Holub is the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of more than 140 children’s books, including Breakout at the Bug Lab, Who Was Babe Ruth?, and the Goddess Girls series. Prior to publishing her first book in 1992, she was an associate art director at Scholastic.

True Kelley is the author and illustrator of more than one hundred children’s books, including Who Was Pablo Picasso?, Who Was Abigail Adams?, and Hazel Nutt, Mad Scientist, winner of the Golden Duck Award for Best Children’s Illustrated Book. She lives in Warner, New Hampshire, with her husband, fellow writer Steven Lindblom.