Luminous with illustration and lavish with details, this rhyming alphabet book has something for everyone. Crane, who has written many state alphabet books in the "Discover America State by State" series for Sleeping Bear Press, lives in North Carolina. The author has done her homework very well, sometimes ferreting out little-known facts, turning them into rhyme for young readers—or listeners—and providing several background paragraphs for readers who want more information. The book features some of the better-known state landmarks: "A" is for Appalachian Mountains; "G" for Grandfather Mountain; "K" for Kill Devil Hills, home of the Wright Brothers National Memorial. Yet some lesser-known facts are present to delight us all, for example, "P" for Plott hounds, dogs bred by the Plott brothers who immigrated from Germany and settled in the mountains. These hounds, bred to hunt bears, are the official state dog, adopted as such in 1989. The back of the book features a page of "sticky" questions about the state, with answers—and more facts—presented upside down on the following page. Beautifully done! I cannot recommend this book more highly for libraries ranging from pre- and elementary schools to those of North Carolina's elected officials. 2003, Sleeping Bear Press, Ages 4 to adult.