CELEBRATE ARIZONA!
Listed
BEST SOUTHWEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2012
BACKGROUND
On February 14, 1912 Arizona became the forty-eighth state in the Union. In this meticulously researched, unique cross between a picture book and a graphic novel, you will go back in time to that historic day. You will be there in President Taft's Oval Office, along with his fourteen-year-old son, Charles. You will see Governor Hunt's seven-year-old daughter Virginia standing proudly by his side as he takes his oath of office. You will ride bikes with the Western Union messenger boys, play in the Indian School band, set off the 48 sticks of dynamite at the Copper Queen Mine and join in the celebrations all over the Grand Canyon State, long into the night.
And if you want to know more, you can read the fact pages about the road to statehood, and learn fun tidbits about President Taft, Governor Hunt, the Arizona flag, and state nicknames. You'll find out why one town started celebrating on the wrong date and what important law Arizona passed in 1912, eight years ahead of the United States constitutional amendment.
Actual documents and newspapers are pasted into the illustrations, and all facts about people and events have been carefully researched. Actual people, locations and objects shown in the illustrations are based on period photos.
REVIEWS
It's never too late to celebrate Arizona's statehood and this delightfully illustrated and rhymed account of happenings on February 14, 1912, the day, gets high marks.
The scenes are historically accurate and the rhymes work. It is meant for children but adults will like it too.
J.C. Martin, Arizona Daily Star
“Celebrate Arizona!” by Joan Sandin is a great educational book for young readers...Sandin herself painted the great watercolor pictures depicting these historic times around the state. You get to see Arizona and how its people looked 100 years ago! I enjoyed the rhyming couplet poems about Arizona that go along with the pictures. There’s also a timeline of how Arizona achieved statehood. It shows how President Taft decides to put Arizona territory to statehood. So if you’re interested in finding out facts about how Arizona became a state, get “Celebrate Arizona!”
Kaylee Wong, Bear Essential News for Kids
Except for quoted reviews, all text and art copyright © Joan Sandin. All rights reserved.
No text or image may be reproduced without the express written consent of the author/illustrator.