I get requests for map books for young kids several times a year. So far I've only had one book to hand them - Follow that map! by Scot Ritchie - but now I have a second, excellent title.

Flora, a perky biracial girl, loves to draw and illustrates the activities of her day with maps and other spatial activities. From figuring out the direction of the sun rising in the morning, to a treasure map finding her secret stash in the yard, to creating an obstacle course, kids will learn along with Flora's fun day.

The illustrations are simple and sweet, with clear graphs and maps that do a good job illustrating the different concepts as well as fun drawings of curly-headed Flora, her fluffy sheepdog, and her family.

Back matter includes a note to adults with activities and suggestions for interacting with the story and kids. It also explains some of the vocabulary used, although it's also explained in the story. There are several activities with links to download and print them online.

I usually purchase Magination Press titles for my parenting section, as they are usually issue books. They're good issue books, but not the kind of thing I'd read in a storytime. This title, and some others they've done recently, are shifting more towards narratives with a purpose. This title still wouldn't work as a storytime selection, unless you have an older group, but it's perfect for a lesson or activity on mapping.

Verdict: A unique title that fills a niche; I also appreciated the diverse family pictured. With simple text and cheerful pictures, plus all the activities, this book is all you need for a science activity, lesson, or program on mapping.

ISBN: 9781433823336; Published 2017 by Magination Press; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to library

As a child, I loved looking at maps and atlases. We would often go on Sunday drives and trips to visit family and I would love following along on the map, seeing which town would be coming up next and how many more miles we had to go. I think physical maps are rare now and the majority of children haven't ever really looked at a map. Now that our phone tells us exactly where to turn and how many more miles we have to go, we don't really have to look at the map.

Flora loves creating maps and she shares the various maps she uses throughout the book. She also teaches directions and uses the terms for reading maps including legend, scale, and landmarks. The maps Flora shares include of her home, the location of a treasure in her yard, her route to school, the playground, and her grandma's backyard obstacle course. The book takes us through Flora's day using the maps she creates but really doesn't tell much of a story. It is just more of a diary about her day. This book is a great way to introduce your child to maps and to share all the different types of maps with them in a simple format. There is a glossary at the end of the book for parents as well as puzzles and a place for kids to draw their own map.

The illustrations are really cute sketches and offer lots of detail. The maps give the appearance that a child created them and are easy for kids to read and understand.

I really like the concept of teaching kids about maps and all the different kinds of maps that they could create or use. This offers a simple way to teach kids in the lower elementary level about maps and how to use them. ( )