Delaware Authors: Elizabeth Traynor

As the first state to ratify the United States Constitution, Delaware rightfully earned its nickname of "First State." Though small in size, it is a treasure trove of history (Fort Delaware), inventions (the Victrola), and garden wonders (Winterthur). State symbols such as the Blue Hen Chicken and peach blossom speak to the character and traditions that formed the state. Historian Carol Crane loves looking through the kaleidoscope of the past and has taken many delightful journeys through Delaware. She loves to imagine her Swedish ancestors coming to this country on the Kalmar Nyckel, building log cabins, or starting the first Swedish church in Wilmington. Carol lives with her husband in North Carolina and travels the country speaking at education conferences across the nation."F is for First State" is Carol's 11th book with Sleeping Bear Press. Elizabeth Traynor decided to be an illustrator when she was fifteen years old, while taking art classes at the Delaware Art Museum. She received her BFAin illustration from Rhode Island School of Design. An illustrator as well as an illustration professor, her work can be seen throughout the country, from book covers, newspapers and magazines, to ads and packaging. Elizabeth lives in Massachusetts and California.

Why do onions make us cry? What popular nut really isn't a nut at all? And what makes a forest a rainforest? The answers to these questions and many other fascinating facts can be found in V is for Venus Flytrap: A Plant Alphabet. Mankind's dependence upon the plant kingdom goes far beyond the food on our table and the air that we breathe. Plants have also provided shelter and led to important advances in medicine and science. Using the alphabet, horticulturalist Eugene Gagliano covers a wide range of topics including exotic species and their locations; plants' role in a healthy lifestyle; food crops and the world economy; and the importance of conservation and environmental stewardship in our world today. After reading V is for Venus Flytrap, young readers will be eager to get their hands dirty and their thumbs green!Retired elementary schoolteacher Eugene Gagliano has had a green thumb since boyhood. He has an A.A.S. in Ornamental Horticulture and owned a greenhouse business for several years. The author of several books for children including C is for Cowboy: A Wyoming Alphabet and Four Wheels West: A Wyoming Number Book, Eugene lives in Buffalo, Wyoming. Elizabeth Traynor received her BFA in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design. Her work can be seen throughout the country, from book covers, newspapers, and magazines, to ads and packaging. She is a professor of illustration, passing her love and knowledge of the field on to the next generation of artists. Elizabeth lives in Natick, Massachusetts.