Do you read the reviews?
I'm an AVID review reader. I toil over the FAQ section and reviews section before I buy things... but you know what I don’t ever do? I never go read reviews for my 3 Amazing States books. It sort-of feels icky - like I’m listening in on someone’s private conversation. I don’t know why. It’s crazy, I know…
But the other day I sat down and read reviews - good and bad. Ok to be perfectly honest, EVEN THOUGH most of the reviews were good, I can’t stop thinking about that one bad one. Moving on...
Here are some of the best:
“Very nice coloring book of all the counties in my state. Pages are thick and the artwork is excellent.”
I can’t tell y’all how happy the quality of these books makes me. I tested several different textures and thicknesses of paper before settling on “the one” and it’s really great quality. Thick enough to be opaque and even thick enough to paint on (as long as you’re not TOO heavy-handed with your paint).
“This book does an amazing job of gathering facts from around the state and putting them in one fun and interesting place! All of my kids love it, from 3 years old to teenagers! It’s been so fun!”
Talking with kids is GREAT, but some of my FAVORITE author events are with the 55+ crowd. It’s SO FUN to teach architectural drawing and/or coloring techniques to adults. The commentary is HILARIOUS!
“Perfect for students in 4th grade studying Alabama History. I purchased a book for a 4th grade friend. Drawings are easy and simple; the county information on each page adds to the learning experience - for young and “older”.”
I love it that this reviewer mentioned the copy we added to all the county pages. I was only given a MAX of 8 lines of copy, so I had to cram A LOT of info in those 8 lines.
“This is a great book for elementary students or teachers. The drawings are excellent. The write ups for each county are interesting, concise and informative. It’s a history lesson and a coloring book rolled into one. Makes you want to take some day trips to explore the state.”
Talking to people about traveling around the region you call home is NEAR-AND-DEAR to my heart, y’all! I love taking a good day trip, but I ALSO much prefer driving country backroads to interstate highways ANYDAY! You get to know so much more about an area by actually driving the streets of the town. Want a neat way to catalogue your journey? Check out this post about designing your own travel journal. SO FUN!
And while I’m at it, below are a few reviews i’ve received from educators after visiting their schools:
“We wanted to send a special thank you for visiting our school to talk with us about Amazing Alabama. We use our books in so many ways. Of course, we love coloring our pages. We even got to use some of our colored pages for an art grade. We read the pages together and discuss many things. Many of us are begging our families to go visit some of the counties. We especially love to partner-read the book with a friend. We hope you enjoy the thank you letters we sent. We appreciate you coming to see us.”
“Thank you so much for coming to Pike Road School to share your expertise. In first grade, we talk a lot about being authors and illustrators. I learned new things; like how to make a color darker and that it’s ok to allow learners to use mixed media. I can’t wait for my daughter to bring her coloring book back home so that we can learn more about the counties and history of Alabama. Sounds like a road trip!”
“Ms. Laura was an exceptional guest speaker at Auburn Classical Academy today! She made history fun again! She broadened their knowledge of Alabama and inspired the kids to take road trips to the landmarks in her book. We all learned so many fascinating facts about Alabama and left feeling proud to be in this beautiful state. Thank you Laura for making the kids feel special and for sharing with us your passion for coloring, illustration, and history. We really hope to see you again soon!”
Find out more about the entire Amazing States series here. You can also purchase your very own copy of Amazing Alabama, Amazing Georgia, or Amazing South Carolina by clicking the photos below
