Sunday

Booking Across the USA: Arkansas

I grew up in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. It is still home to me despite my current Texas abode. I am so excited to be sharing a book and an activity about my family’s favorite place to be…Arkansas.

Forget all the stereotypes. Forget all the jokes. Arkansas is a state with a lively history, a rugged, hardworking people, some of the most beautiful places you’ve ever seen, its own brand of music, art, and culture, and a nature lover’s paradise.

Since I grew up only a few miles from the Ozark National Forest, I chose a book that reminds me of that childhood, barefoot kids, folk music, lightning bugs, rattlesnakes, and beans and cornbread.


Fiddlin’ Sam is about a man who travels through the Ozark Mountains playing his fiddle to make the people happy. In return the people share what they have, usually in the form of food, to say thanks. In the story Sam is looking for someone to pass his fiddle and his music to before he runs out of time. The story is very good and the artwork consists of beautifully done watercolor pictures that perfectly capture the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas.



Fiddle music also captures the state of Arkansas really well. In fact, Mountain View, Arkansas is the Folk Music Capital of the World and they host a folk and bluegrass music festival every year. Probably the most famous Arkansas fiddle song is The Arkansas Traveler which was actually Arkansas’ state song from 1949-1963. You will probably recognize the tune as a children's song, but the original words are here.

Along with the story of Fiddlin’ Sam and the song The Arkansas Traveler, I created a printable book so that you and your family can visit some more interesting sights around Arkansas.




The printable is laid out like Eric Carle’s book, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?  You will be illustrating the book and filling in the appropriate location in the blanks.

On the last page is a map of Arkansas for you to locate the places you’ve visited.

I also included the place names at the end of the printable in case you’re having trouble finding the answers.

I hope your family enjoys traveling the state of Arkansas as much as mine does and be sure to check out the other states below.

Proud to be an Arkansan living in the tree house,

Chelli
Alabama: Everyday Snapshots 
Alaska: Little Wonders’ Days 
Arizona: Simply Kinder (holding a giveaway) 
Arkansas: Country Fun's Book Files 
California: Juggling with Kids and The Outlaw Mom 
Colorado: Learners in Bloom and Living Montessori Now 
Connecticut: The Teacher Park 
Delaware: Mama Miss 
Florida: Teaching Stars 
Georgia: Fabulously First 
Hawaii: Teaching With Style (holding a giveaway) 
Idaho: True Aim Education 
Illinois: Growing Book by Book 
Indiana: Teach Preschool 
Iowa: Surviving a Teacher's Salary 
Kansas: KCEdventures 
Kentucky: Chicken Babies (holding a giveaway) 
Louisiana: New Orleans Moms Blog (holding a giveaway) 
Maine: Country Fun Child Care 
Maryland: Picture Books and Piourettes 
Massachusetts: Mama Smiles 
Michigan: Play DrMom 
Minnesota: The Wise Owl Factory (free printable game too) 
Mississippi: Coming Soon 
Missouri- Ready. Set. Read! 
Montana: The Honey Bunch 
Nebraska: The Good Long Road  
Nevada: Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy Crafts 
New Hampshire: Elementary Matters 
New Jersey: The Pleasantest Thing 
New Mexico: Enchanted Homeschooling Mom 
New York: What Do We Do All Day 
North Carolina: Realistic Teacher Blog 
North Dakota: ND HealthWorks 
Ohio: Smart Chick Teacher's Blog 
Oklahoma: Herding Kats in Kindergarten 
Oregon: Journey of a Substitute Teacher 
Pennsylvania: Land of Once Upon a Time 
Rhode Island: Smiling in Second Grade (holding a giveaway) 
South Carolina: Cookies and Kiddos and JDaniel4’s Mom 
South Dakota: The Wise Owl Factory (free printable game too) 
Tennessee: No Monkey Business 
Texas: Curls and a Smile and Kid World Citizen 
Utah: Teach Beside Me 
Vermont: Burlington Vt Moms Blog 
Virgina: Once Upon a Story and The Freckled Homeschooler 
Washington: Coming Soon 
West Virginia: This Week @ Great Peace Academy and Mamas Like Me 
Wisconsin: Reading Confetti 
Wyoming: No Twiddle Twaddle 
USA: The Corner on Character

8 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for participating in the Booking Across the USA project!

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    1. Thanks for letting me jump in at the last minute!

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  2. What a great printable Chelli!! This book sounds awesome!

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    1. It is a really beautiful, well done book. I hope your family gets a chance to read it. And the printable was super fun to make!

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  3. It is so nice of you to make an Arkansas book for us! Great post.

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  4. Great post! I love the free Arkansas printable. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. You're welcome! Thanks for travelin' by. :)

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