Welcome to the United States of America! The U.S.A. is the third largest country in the world, and one of the most beautiful. It is full of lakes and rivers, mountains and canyons, beaches and deserts. It has many different trees and flowers, and all sorts of different crops grown for use as food. And, of course, America has birds and animals of all kinds. Last, but not least, the United States has over 300 million people, from many different backgrounds and cultures. -- In this book you'll meet five adventurous friends, Wandering Willy, Nosy Normie, Meandering Mickey, Sightseeing Susie, and Exploring Ellie. Together, they will help you learn about the land, cities, animals, and other wonderful things in each of the fifty states in the U.S.A. Along the way, you'll also meet fifty other friends of theirs, each who will host one of the five friends and teach them (and you!) about his or her state. These fifty friends are very special! They are each named after the capital city of their state. -- Friends and Mates in Fifty States is a mnemonic-filled learning/teaching tool geared first and foremost toward helping children learn state capitals and locations in a fun and entertaining way. Additional facts, including state symbols and products and the origin of state nicknames, are also provided to enrich the child's learning experience. - Readers' Favorite Review: Completed on: 03/17/2016 Review Rating: 5 stars! Reviewed By Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite Friends and Mates in Fifty States by Ellen Weisberg and Ken Yoffe gives an insight into the different states of the United States of America through the eyes of five friends; Wandering Willy, Sightseeing Susie, Nosy Normie, Meandering Mickey, and Exploring Ellie. Together with them, readers learn about the land, culture, and essence of each one of the different states, its importance, and what makes it different from the other states. The United States is full of beaches, deserts, lakes, rivers, canyons, and mountains, and each state is introduced to readers with the help of rhyming verses. These five boys and girls meet their friends and mates while traveling to these states. So sit back and enjoy the trip with these five friends and discover new places! The book is fascinating, a must-have for all school and public libraries. There is a wealth of information for young readers that teaches them more about new places and destinations in a simple and easy way. The pictures are not only bright and colorful, but insightful too, and they make the rhyming verses more enjoyable to read and understand. It's a good bedtime storybook and helps to teach kids about new places in a fun and interactive way. Books like this are perfect to make the process of learning fun and enjoyable for children. The book gives just enough information, and the entire presentation and layout makes it very appealing and catchy to readers. I really like the concept and thought that has gone behind the book in making kids familiar with the states of America.