Alexander, Heather. Only in California: Weird and Wonderful Facts About the Golden State. Jen Taylor, Illus. The 50 States Series; bk. 1. Wide Eyed Editions, 06/2022. 60pp. Non-Fiction. GRADES 2 – 5. HIGH ADDITIONAL. Trade $21.99. 978-0-7112-7404-4.
In this highly entertaining look at the “Golden State,” each spread focuses on a geographic area or topic: San Diego; sports; Central Valley; Big Sur; San Francisco; wine country; Yosemite; and much more. The spreads contain small bits of information; for example, for Lake Tahoe, there is a sentence or two about the Donner Party, trees, wildlife, and the Washoe native people. The text is inclusive of non-white cultures and people. The full-color digital illustrations are done in a graphic style, featuring day and night scenes, and people of various races. There probably is not enough detail for a report, but this is a fun browsing book for California residents or visitors, highlighting a wide variety of topics from food to inventions to festivals. A recommended purchase for California libraries, this is the first book in a proposed series on the states. This book has California-specific content.
Penny Peck—San Jose State University iSchool