The Little Man in the Map

We are learning with The Little Man in the Map by E. Andrew Martonyi and my kids are loving it! This is by far, the best strategy I have seen to help kids learn how to recognize the States on a map. This award-winning, beautiful book teaches children how to recognize the States through mnemonics…each state is a picture of something and becomes a part of the story.

As the story begins, The Little Man in the Map comes to life. Have you ever noticed him before? He is right there in the middle of the map, and is made up by Minnesota (his hat), Iowa (his face), Missouri (his shirt), Arkansas (his pants), and Louisiana (his boots).

My children really enjoy the sing-song rhyming verse of the book. I also really like how Mr. Martonyi breaks the States down into 5, easy to manage, regions: the Midwest, South Central, Southeastern, Northeastern, and Western States. A large, laminated wall map, which is also represented in the book, can be purchased separately. And, if you order from Schoolside Press, you can get an autographed copy of the book at no additional charge!

This book is great for all ages (even my 3 year old is learning U.S. geography!) and for all types of homeschoolers (if you are offended by elves, and the word magic, you may not want this book) .

The Little Man In the Map sells for $19.95, the 38×22 inch Wall Map for $21.95, and a Teacher’s Guide for $7.95 at Schoolside Press. This book is definitely a keeper!

Here is a video that features a short passage from the book:

Written by Kari, Momma Snail.  She also blogs at The Snail’s Trail.

Brenda (132 Posts)

Brenda is a homeschooling mother of 5, who has a wonderful husband encouraging her to be the best woman that God has created her to be. Together they are very intentional about spending time together as a family. She considers her daily life with her children as her ministry and has found many avenues to encourage others to live a lifestyle of learning. She is the founder of a curriculum review site authored by a group of well-known homeschool bloggers, The Curriculum Choice.