There's a Map on My Lap!: All About Maps (Cat in the Hat's Lrning Libry)

User Review: - Good, not great
I love, love Dr. Seuss books. My 3 children and I have read them all. Even the ones you have never heard of. I appreciate the effort, but there is much lacking for it to be called a genuine Dr. Seuss book. The boys like it, but it is not one they pull off the shelf to read. They would rather "The Cat in the Hat", or "Green Eggs and Ham" (or any of the others).
It has to be my idea to read this one.
I do realize that it is a non-fiction book, but the rhythm & some of the rhymes just don't work. I think they could have done a little more to make it "sing-song". That's what makes a Seuss book!

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User Review: - Great for young children
This is a fun book for introducing young children to maps. I will use it in my early childhood classroom but I wish I'd had it when my own chldren were young. They would have loved it!

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User Review: - Map on My Lap
Children enjoyed this book. Used in map unit for PS and elem. settings.

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User Review: - Fun way to learn about maps
This book is classic Dr. Seuss...fun, silly, and children don't realize they're learning something. Great book for teaching about maps. I bought this for my 6 year old prior to going on vacation. We had been looking at maps and talking about what states we'd be driving through on our trip. He enjoyed listening to the book and because of the way the information is presented (fun and silly rhymes), he has retained what he learned. He has even referred back to specific bits of information we read from the book (i.e. Never Eat Shredded Wheat to remember North, East, South and West.)

The back of the book contains a glossary of terms mentioned in the book. Highly recommended as an additional tool for teaching about maps.

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User Review: - The best of this series!
The Cat in the Hat's Learning Library books are all great tools to get beginning readers to read and explore different topics at the same time.

There's a Map on my Lap is my favorite in this series. It explains in typical Cat in the Hat rhyme and stance all the different uses for maps.
It explains the difference between a globe and a map, what latitudes and longitudes and other features of maps are. You learn to read a map by using the windrose or a grid.
The book goes well beyond town or country maps. It features weather maps, topographical maps and even marine charts.

What truly separates this book from the crowd: it is shockfull of hands-on things to do. It begins with peeling an orange while leaving the skin in one piece to demonstrate what a world map should really look like - brilliant idea! Then it goes on to make a map of your room, town, imaginary countries. Or how to measure the length of a curved road on a map using a straight ruler and string.

At the end of the book you find a glossary that explains the "big" words like topographical map and others again. Also a list of more books about maps and globes for children.
If you like doing hands on things with your preschool through 2nd graders this book is for you! Hours of fun and education all rolled into one big happy Cat in the Hat poem.