As the first state to ratify the United States Constitution, Delaware rightfully earned its nickname of "First State." Though small in size, it is a treasure trove of history (Fort Delaware), inventions (the Victrola), and garden wonders (Winterthur). State symbols such as the Blue Hen Chicken and peach blossom speak to the character and traditions that formed the state. Historian Carol Crane loves looking through the kaleidoscope of the past and has taken many delightful journeys through Delaware. She loves to imagine her Swedish ancestors coming to this country on the Kalmar Nyckel, building log cabins, or starting the first Swedish church in Wilmington. Carol lives with her husband in North Carolina and travels the country speaking at education conferences across the nation."F is for First State" is Carol's 11th book with Sleeping Bear Press. Elizabeth Traynor decided to be an illustrator when she was fifteen years old, while taking art classes at the Delaware Art Museum. She received her BFAin illustration from Rhode Island School of Design. An illustrator as well as an illustration professor, her work can be seen throughout the country, from book covers, newspapers and magazines, to ads and packaging. Elizabeth lives in Massachusetts and California.

Examines the history of Delaware, from its first inhabitants and the arrival of European settlers to the effect of modern times on its business and government.

Readers will be delighted to discover the many wonders of the Garden State, from her famous sons and daughters (inventor Thomas Edison and the Revolutionary War heroine Molly Pitcher) to her beautiful sights (the Highlands, the Pinelands, and New Jersey's famous shoreline), and her unique institutions (The Seeing Eye training institute for seeing eye dogs and Haddy, the largest complete dinosaur skeleton of its time, found in 1858). G is for Garden State explores the places, people, and landmarks that make New Jersey a fascinating place to live in and to visit again and again. Written in the popular two-tier format for our Discover America State by State alphabet series, young readers will explore state facts through colorful illustrations, rhyming verses, and expository text. Used in schools throughout the country, this series effectively expands classroom curriculum.Author/preservationist Eileen Cameron is interested in protecting our natural and historical resources. She serves on the board of the Washington Association of New Jersey at Morristown National Historical Park. Eileen has hiked the Appalachian Trail at High Point, rafted on the Delaware River, and now lives in Morristown, New Jersey. Doris Ettlinger has illustrated numerous children's books including Springtime in the Big Woods and Mr. Edwards Meets Santa Claus , both adapted from the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. She graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design. Doris lives and works in a 150-year old gristmill in western New Jersey with her family and a Welsh Corgi.