Train of States

The author, Peter Sís, uses a different car for each state in the Union and a caboose for Washington, DC. A great deal of research went into this book as shown by the various tiny details in each watercolor painting. The cars are lined up chronologically by their date of becoming a state. Each car is decorated with the state flag, nickname, motto, bird, tree, and animal as well as important people or sites. These details are explained in a section at the back that also provides the key to the symbols that appear throughout.