We try to keep learning going strong over our summers here in our little corner of the world. Both of our girls love to explore places they have yet to visit--and learn more about traditions and local cultures. We recently had the opportunity to read and review the children's book, Queen Vernita Visits Gator Country by Dawn Menge. Since the girls have not yet visited Louisiana and "Gator Country"--we thought it would be a fun review. Our youngest daughter, Madelyn, will be sharing her thoughts of Queen Vernita Visits Gator Country in this review as well today.We received a complimentary copy of this book for use in our review. All opinions are our own.
Summary of Queen Vernita Visits Gator Country by Dawn Menge. Queen Vernita Visits Gator Country, the latest installment of Dawn Menge’s award-winning adventure book series, finds the title character on the road once again – this time in the Deep South--where she learns about the area's storied past, jazz trditions, plantations and the bayou. Vernita has many friends, not only in her kingdom, but all over the world. In Queen Vernita Visits Gator Country, these friends invite her on a year-long journey through the American South. She spends a month with each friend, and each teaches her something about the rich culture, music, food and history of this part of our country. Beginning on the first of January, Vernita arrives in Gator Country, where her friend Neomi introduces her to the world of jazz. She marvels at this vibrant blend of African and European music. Then she sails down the Mississippi (and learns how to spell Mississippi!) and spends February on a paddleboat with her dear friend Sidney. From Joaquim, Vernita learns of the many forms of life inhabiting the bayou – from plants to crawfish to catfish. The adventure takes Vernita to the domain of the gators– and she even holds a baby gator in her hands.
A Mom's Review of Queen Vernita Visits Gator Country by Dawn Menge. This book is loaded with facts and details about the area's culture. As Queen Vernita explores Bayou Country with her friends, readers receive a lot of information about the culture of "Gator Country". While Vernita visits each area for a month, the text of the book details only seven days of each visit. I found myself caught up in that little detail during every section; but, my daughters didn't seem to notice or mind the timeframe details. The author provides a lot of facts, figures and information about the areas the Queen tours--so it is a very educational look at the region. It certainly offers a great starting point for more exploration of the region--or as a quick look for the kids before a family trip.
What did Madelyn (our youngest) think of Queen Vernit Visits Gator Country by Dawn Menge? Queen Vernita Visits Gator Country is a book about a queen who takes a lot of adventures. In this book, Queen Vernita visits her friends who have different cultures. This story is fiction, but it has a lot of historical facts in it. The facts are the reasons I like the book. I rate this book pre-school (if read with a parent or teacher) to fourth grade, but if you are over fourth grade I bet you would like it if you love historical facts. It was a good book to learn from, but I got a little bored in some sections because there was a lot of information.
Would we recommend Queen Vernita Visits Gator Country by Dawn Menge? Madelyn and I agreed that some children may find the book a little too fact-filled--and more of a book geared toward learning than toward entertaining. While Madelyn (who just finished second grade) felt that younger children would like it--I think it's certainly best suited toward older elementary/early middle school ages. We think Queen Vernita Visits Gator Country by Dawn Menge does a wonderful job informing readers about the region--and would certainly help families prepare and excite the kids for a visit to "Gator Country". I would recommend it as an educational book or as an aid for students studying or preparing to visit the area. Madelyn and I both agree that kids who love history and geography--or love to travel--may find the book more entertaining than those who do not. We did enjoy this book from the series--and would certainly read Queen Vernita's other adventures.
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About the Author: Dawn Menge is the author of the Queen Vernita educational series. Her series has won 19 literary awards. Queen Vernita’s adventures include: Queen Vernita’s Visitors, Queen Vernita Visits the Blue Ice Mountains, Queen Vernita Meets Sir HeathyBean, and Queen Vernita Explores the Oceaneer’s Coastline.
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