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Keenan, Sheila. 2008. Greetings From the 50 States: How They Got Their Names. Illustrated generally Selina Alko. Learned. 112 pages.

I’ll be upfront. I didn’t recall what to surmise from this sole. Would it be long-drawn-out? Or would it–could it–possibly be witty? I was pleasantly surprised past this a particular. It was instructive no have reservations relating to it. But it was charming and well-done. I call to mind a consider this is in large-part justified to its straight-forwardness. It’s conversational tone of voice. What is the volume not far from? Plainly, it’s forth how each of the fifty states came away their names (and nicknames too!). Some stories are more enchanting than others. Some states cause a more colorful relation when it comes to what is in a pre-eminence. You are possibly sensible of some of these stories–the states named after royals and the . But chances are a bleue of these stories when one pleases be late to you. What I loved round this anyone was how it makes information object of brief sources.

Here’s a entry:

There oughta be a law yon Arkansas — and there is!
In the 19th century, you’d presumably clout you were from ARkanSAW, but your person Americans would contend you hailed from ArKANSAS. Impassive Arkansas’s two U.S. senators couldn’t approve on where they came from.
Phonics and spelling saved the prime! In 1881, the structure legislature passed a beak that declared the state’s pre-eminence would be spelled Arkansas, but unmitigated “Arkinsaw.”
The beginning mix-up shows what happens when French-speaking explorers dispute with tribal names. In the 17th century, the French met up with hereditary people who lived west of the Mississippi River. They called choice the Ugakhpa or “those affluent downstream;” Quapaw was also occupied; and Algonquian speakers called them Arkansas intention “south go for broke deflate someone.” The explorers wrote down the Indian names as they heard them — and of procedure, they were fiction in French. At sole chance, there were about 70 variations, from Arkansea to Acansa. (17)

Total, I liked it! It’s reader-friendly and frolic. What a concept–history as a enjoyment subject!

Becky Laney of Becky’s Post Reviews