“On April 30, 1789, George Washington took the oath of office.”  That’s one of the facts you’ll find in the Resources section at the end of From Sea to Shining Sea.

This picture book uses rhyming text to tell the tale of the building and growth of the United States.  It’s something of a “survey,” as it begins with Washington’s inauguration, follows Lewis and Clark’s discovery expedition, and ends with steamboats and covered wagons.  There are strengths and weaknesses.

The rhyming text seems rather stilted and forced to me.  I don’t personally find it enjoyable to read.  But rhymes stick with us better than straight prose, so it may be beneficial for the children’s memory.

It also necessarily skims over some things.  Some are simplified for brevity.  Others are simply omitted due to the “overview” nature of the text.  And if we’re honest, some things are omitted because they’re unpleasant for children and/or don’t make us look good.  That makes it less than useful, in my opinion, as a standalone read.  However, it is potentially useful as a jumping-off point for further reading and/or study, because it touches on a wide variety of events and concepts.

The author has anticipated some of this and included a resource section at the back.  In my opinion, this is the most useful part of the book.  Events like Washington’s inauguration and the arrival of the Corps of Discovery at the West Coast, and key people or concepts such as the Washington, D.C., the White House, and Sacagawea, are each succinctly summarized.  There are also links included for further study of each.

I’d try to check this one out at the library to see if you like it before buying a copy.