Schoolside Press: The Little Man in the Map

The Little Man in the Map
by E. Andrew Martonyi, Illustrated by Ed Olson
http://www.schoolsidepress.com/index.cfm


When I heard that we would be reviewing this book, I was intrigued. A little man in a map that has clues to remembering all 50 states? How would that work and who or what is a little man in a map?


When I opened the book and started reading I was shocked! The little man in the map has been in front of our eyes all this time and no one has ever noticed it before. The man in the map is literally comprised of 5 states in the middle of the U.S.
How cool is that?

This story is about a little man in the map (named MIM) who teaches children how to remember all 50 states through stories, clues, acronyms, rhymes, and pictures. Another nice feature is that they split the map into regions or smaller chunks, making it easier to memorize. There is a lot of information that is packed into this book, so it really could be done as a mini thematic study.


This book is a charming, imaginative story that would work well for most children learning about the states.
My kids all enjoyed this story, even my older kids! After I read this story to my younger kids I left it sitting out on the table, just to see if any of the older kids would notice. I was pleasantly surprised to see my older kids each pick up the book and read it. They all thought it was a fun book to read, and they even said that they had learned something new from this book.


The hardcover book is priced at $19.95, they also sell a 38x22 inch laminated wall map for $21.95 . Also on their website they have coloring pages from the book that are free to download. Another book is in the works for learning the state capitals..so keep an eye on http://www.schoolsidepress.com/index.cfm for more information on their upcoming book.