About the Author

Nicole Claesen has always loved travel, and loves traveling with her husband and two sons. After several years of traveling as a family, she wanted to share their adventures, trip itinerary suggestions, and lessons learned through their travels, and that's when their website and blog, Suitcase and a Map, was born. It lets her write about family travel and share the magic of seeing the world through the eyes of children.


Candela Ferrandez is a freelance illustrator based in Barcelona, Spain. After studying fine arts at Salamanca University, she earned a postgraduate degree in illustration at EINA (Barcelona). When she was a child, she loved looking for bugs and little animals around gardens. Now she draws them. Children, flowers, plants, and animals define her personal universe, which she also expresses in ceramic pieces. Her illustrations have been published by Milan Presse, ditions Larousse, Fleurus, and Penguin Random House, among others.

Reviews

"Fun with 50 States provides a fun way for children of all ages to learn about the states. Every page highlights each state's unique attributes, showcasing the scope of America's charms. With activities appropriate for all skill levels, this book makes the perfect companion for your next road trip or for kids to share interesting state facts with their friends." —Jennifer Carter, elementary school teacher

 "Fun with 50 States is an entertaining and engaging activity book filled with fun and interesting facts about each state and territories of our beautiful country. The activities are great for all age groups and will be fun for families to complete together. This book is a perfect road trip companion for you and your family." —Marcie Ochoa, early childhood educator

"I just finished reading Fun with 50 States with my family. Even though this book is geared toward kids, I read most of it out loud to my family on our way home from a long road trip. It's filled with so many interesting facts... most we never knew! My kids are excited to go back through the book and do the activities—especially the fun word puzzles. I highly recommend this book to families who love to travel! It would also be a great resource for teachers and home schoolers." —Darla Slade, FunFitnessFamily.com

"I don't know whether I want to pack my suitcase and hit the road or cozy up in a chair with a pencil and crayons to do all the fun puzzle pages! I think just about any age group would enjoy this book—from the family traveling together with kids to retirees ready to see America. I love the map to track your US adventures. What a wonderful resource to have as you plan a vacation! Young readers can access the reading and be responsible for their own learning as the family travels." —Melissa Kramer Anderson, first grade teacher

"I love this! How fun would it be to take this book on a family road trip! The variety of activities will keep kids engaged because there is always something new to do with each state's section. This will be a great tool to help kids learn about the different places in the United States. As they learn more about our country in school, they can use this book to further their knowledge." —Kim Phillips, English Language Arts teacher

"I am impressed with how brilliantly the states were researched and written. The details are fascinating and so fun to learn. I love the activities and illustrations; they are engaging and ignite creativity and curiosity in the reader. As an executive who has traveled the globe, I've learned some pretty cool facts about my own country. This book has moved me to complete the tour of all 50 states and US territories. I highly recommend Nicole's book. You'll want to share it will all the kids you know!" —Tanya Taylor, owner, Travels & Treasures