A diverse group of cartoon children riding in a hot-air balloon drop in on American cities to see the sights and sample local culture and cuisine. All of the books touch on the title city's history, culture, sports, populations, food, and entertainment but in varying amounts, allowing individual books to focus on what makes each city unique. For instance, Washington D.C. explores many monuments and museums, Orlando theme parks, and Philadelphia early-American heritage. Large, well-captioned contemporary and historical photos illustrate the breezy and fast-paced texts, which average about a paragraph per page. Superimposed cartoon figures of the children tell readers asides such as the correct way to order a Philly cheesesteak or bits of trivia about people and places.
VERDICT Entertaining titles to introduce emerging readers to some of America's most visited cities.
- School Library Journal, April 2016
