Books That Take You There: Washington, D.C.

Planning your upcoming summer vacation? Washington, D.C., is a city full of history, charm, monuments, and museums. Summer in our nation's capitol is an especially exciting time with many free activities, festivals, and an impressive Independence Day celebration. Whether you're hoping to travel there in person or dreaming about it from the comfort of your living room, these books will give you a taste of the distinctive D.C. experience!

The White House Cat

Written by Cylin Busby

Illustrated by Neely Daggett

New York, NY: Balzer + Bray, 2022. Picture Book.

Take a tour of the White House from a cat's perspective and learn lots of fun facts about the most famous residence in America along the way!

Washington, DC City Trails

By Moira Butterfield

Oakland, CA: Lonely Planet Global Ltd., 2017. Informational. 102 pages.

Chock-full of little known facts and secrets, each city trail follows a different theme around the Washington, D.C., area. Trails include themes such as City Sounds, Statue City, Washington G-g-g-ghosts, and D.C. Time Travel among others.

Monument Maker: Daniel Chester French and the Lincoln Memorial

Written by Linda Booth Sweeney

Illustrated by Shawn Fields

Thomaston, Maine: Tilbury House Publishers, 2019. Biography. 63 pages.

Following the early life and training of Daniel Chester French, this biography tells of how French became America's foremost sculptor and the artist responsible for the Lincoln Memorial. Fascinating insight is provided on the motivation, process, and symbolism behind his greatest work.

One More Acorn

By Don Freeman and Roy Freeman

New York: Viking, 2010. Picture Book.

A squirrel hunts for a memorable acorn during an autumn day in Washington, D.C. His search takes him past famous landmarks such as Lafayette Square, the Washington Monument, the US Capitol Building, the Lincoln Memorial, and ends with a parade down Constitution Avenue.

How to Build a Museum: Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture

By Tonya Bolden

New York : Viking, 2016. Informational. 53 pages.

How to Build a Museum chronicles the 100 year journey of the construction of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the most recent and likely the last museum to be built on the National Mall.

Funny Farm by Mark Teague 2009

There are things I liked about Mark Teague's newest book, Funny Farm , and things I didn't like. Where should I start? I'll do the "didn'ts" first. The illustrations show animals personified. Well, some of the animals are. The main characters, Edward, and his farm family relatives, all dogs, are humanized. They stand upright, do farm chores, eat at a table, wear clothes, knit (yes, with paws) and sleep in beds. Most everybody else on and around the farm, who are also animals, act like animals. They are outside, roll in mud, live in the barn, and require care from their owners. It struck me the most on the page spread where there are pigs playing in puddle in the rain and Edward, a black and white boxer, watches from inside the house. I thought "You're a dog! Go play with them!" But, alas, he can't, seeing as how he goes through his entire visit to the farm wearing a suit and red bow tie. Another picture that bothered me was the maple syrup pa...

Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) by Pamela Espeland & Elizabeth Verdick

If there's one book today's kids need to read, it is Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) . The authors provide a fun format for teaching etiquette to children. They discuss proper behavior at home, at school, at other people's homes and in public places. The information is completely up-to-date with cellphone manners and netiquette included. Fun, cartoony illustrations are on practically every page giving the book great visual appeal. This book is perfect for boys and girls in the fourth grade or older. WARNING: Bodily functions are discussed.

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin Illustrated by Leslie Evans Charlesburg; 2009; unpaged Faces of the Moon is a short nonfiction book that describes the different phases of the moon and why the moon appears like it does on certain nights. This book is short and sweet so even the youngest of moon lovers will enjoy it. The layout is simplistic and easy to follow. I don’t know much about the moon so I found it very interesting.

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