"Anna nodded. Together they walked past
the shoe shop, the pond in the park, the cafe
where Zane's mom liked to get coffee, and
the library - all the way to Zane's blue front
door.
She rang bell 6 ... "
I love looking at physical maps. They tend to give so much additional scope than what I see when I use GPS. In this book that helps young readers understand what a map is and how it can be used, readers meet two children, Anna and Zane. Anna lives in a small yellow house; Zane lives in a six-story apartment block. An invitation sent from Zane to Anna sets the action in motion, when he invites her over and includes a map to help her find her way.
On his map, Zane has plotted main streets, crossover streets, and relevant buildings. Anna recognizes some inconsistencies in the map. Her father suggests she draw her own. Anna is keen to work it out independently. Her paper is not big enough for all she wants to include. Dad suggests she look at a conventional map. Anna doesn't like the fact that it has no pictures. Dad explains that it is a bird's-eye view.
"There are lots of different maps. This map shows a very
large area, so the scale is smaller than on Anna's map to
fit more in."
Anna likes her own map! She decides to draw a map of their house for her cat Whiskers, while her dad has created a family tree - a totally different kind of map altogether. Finally, Anna decides to make a map for Zane. That way he won't ger lost when he comes for a visit. It will have Anna's house in the middle. When it's time for Dad to help Anna find her way to her friend's house, Zanes's map is a hit!
The author ends by encouraging her young audience to make a map of their own. The possibilities are endless! Lovely watercolor drawings match the book's text and ideas, offering up help at a new pursuit and keeping Whiskers visible throughout.
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