Oliver's Travels: An Ohio Adventure by Cynthia Furlong Reynoldss

In this somewhat contrived tale, an intrepid mouse goes exploring the State of Ohio armed with a map on which symbols of the state are drawn. In his adventures, Oliver the mouse runs into ladybugs, a cardinal, and other symbols of Ohio. He travels to Cedar Point and Canton where he explores the Pro Football Hall of Fame and more, then heads through Columbus and all the way to the Ohio River. Along the way he learns many historical facts about Ohio, which he shares with the reader. The book ends with him traveling towards Indiana presumably to learn its symbols. While the book has merit as a tie in to Ohio History, I have trouble seeing students chosing to read this. It could work as a read aloud as a supplemental/enrichment type activity during an Ohio History unit. Oliver's Travels: an Ohio Adventure by Cynthia Furling Reynolds, Illustrations by Bruce Langton. Mitten Press, 2008.