Books of the Week: The Junior Geography Detective Squad Series by Elysabeth Eldering

Today I have a fun and inovative book. How much do you know about the different states in the union? I know I'm rusty on my facts as I studied the US many years ago.

Elysabeth is in the process of developing this great series of 50 books to teach our children, and us, all about each state and all US territories like Puerto Rico.

Here is her synopsis of these most interesting books:

Matt Patterson, Guy Lombard, Mary Beth Patterson and Jolene Ariette take on the newest handheld game to help them in their study of social studies course of US History (geography and trivia information about each state). Each book in the series will be presented as the game giving them "clues" which are basically facts and trivia information that can be found most any place about the states. The kids have to guess the state by the end of the book. Readers are encouraged to participate in guessing as well. Guesses may be changed during the story as no one is expected to get the state immediately. Some clues are more helpful than others and some are just downright fun. This is a fun way of learning something you never knew about state history and geography.

There are bonus clues to five territories throughout the series, one per book with a total of ten per each of the territory (Guam, Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, US Samoan Islands). The ten clues will not come consecutively; the five territories will be one clue every sixth book for each of the territories. There will be a bonus clue section at the end of the series, recapping the clues, which book they appeared in and what the territory is in that book.


Teacher's guides are available through special order from 4RV Publishing. They are available only as a PDF download. The teacher's guides will contain six research projects/discussion questions, a science experiment based on one of the clues in the book (where possible), a secret message puzzle (cryptogram, word search, scramble or other such puzzles alternating per state), and an end of book quiz (about fifteen per book - a mixture of multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and True/False questions).

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I've looked at the first one and it's very complete. What a great way to learn about our country, and if you're not in the US this is a great way for you to learn about it too.
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Books may ordered from

4 RV Publishing

Elysabeth Eldering

posted by Joy Delgado
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