MAPPING PENNY’S WORLD

Leedy (Celebrate the 50 States!, 1999, etc.) has a gift for presenting concepts wrapped in stories both easily assimilated and engaging. Here, Lisa and her Boston terrier, Penny, last seen in Measuring Penny (1998), tackle maps and mapping. Mr. Jayson, Lisa’s teacher, shows what’s important to include in a map, with illustrations of the map key, symbols, labels, the compass rose, and the scale—each carefully explained. Lisa decides to map her bedroom, complete with all the essential parts. Then she makes a treasure map for all the things Penny has buried in the back yard. She draws a directional map to show how Penny’s doggy friend Maxine takes a short cut to get to Penny’s house, and Lisa uses an odometer and pedometer to map the bike and hiking trails in the park. Not to neglect Penny, she builds a three-dimensional map to show all of Penny’s favorite places to fetch or to bark at squirrels. Lisa dreams of traveling with Penny to faraway places, too. Leedy’s blocky forms and poster paint colors (created with digital painting and photo collage) are a fine foil for the clear text, which teaches without patronizing. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)