Today we are one of 50+ blogs hosting a fantastic 'Booking Across the USA' blog project! 

Together, we will each feature a kids' book and activity for all of the 50 States -- you can travel across the country right from your own couch :-)  This amazing idea was the creation of Growing Book by Book, a wonderful blog with great ideas for sharing books with kids. 

Read and learn along with us as we criss-cross the country!

Welcome to Kansas!

The home of sunflowers, BBQ, wheat fields and tornadoes!

I'll bet that I can guess what book comes to mind when you hear the name 'Kansas' --

Is it the one that shares the adventures of Dorothy??! 

I really think that book put Kansas on the map for kids literature.  While we love Dorothy  (along with the Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, The Scarecrow and Toto) and highly recommend reading "The Wizard of Oz" to every child, we didn't choose Oz as our highlight book. 

But we did choose to Make our own Tornadoes!

More about those in a sec -- first, I want to introduce you to our book.

The book The Bravest of Us All by Marsha Diane Arnold is a story of courage, especially knowing that each person has their own type of courage.

Ruby Jane knows that her oldest sister, Velma Jean, is the bravest of all the 7 kids in her family.  She sees Velma Jean do all kinds of brave things on the farm.  But when a tornado heads toward their farmhouse, Ruby Jane learns that her courage is help her sister is even stronger than the tornado's winds!

The illustrations in this book show the beauty of Kansas -- the wide open sky, the great expanses of land and the connection of family and community.  I also love how the book highlights that each person is courageous no matter how big or small.

Create Your Own Tornado

Kansas is one of a handful of states that is located in 'Tornado Alley', a section in the middle of the US that's most likely to have a tornado occur. 

A tornado is a storm that is created when a cold and warm front meet - when my kids were young, I would tell them that the hot air and cold air get into a scuffle about who's the strongest. There also needs to be moisture for a tornado to occur.

Tornadoes have a very well-known shape -- they look like a long, thin triangle balancing on it's tip.  If you were able to view them from the sky, you would see that the center of the tornado appears hollow - this center area is called it's vortex.  The vortex occurs when the winds are spinning very fast - so fast that nothing can stay in the middle, the force pulls it to the outer sides of the storm.  These fast spinning winds are also what give the tornado it's nickname of 'twister'.

To make your own tornado, here's what you'll need:

• (2) 1 liter water or soda bottles (you can also use 2 liter bottles but I like the smaller ones because they are easier for the kids to hold)
• a washer
• blue food coloring
• duct tape

We found all the directions at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  We decided to substitute blue food coloring for the dishwashing detergent and it worked great!

Once you have the bottles put together with all the water in the bottom bottle, just take hold of them and flip them upside down.  As the water drains from the top bottle to the bottom, you will see a vortex form inside the water. 

Here's a closer look at our vortex -

Pretty cool, huh!  The kids will enjoy turning the bottles around a few times - it's easy to get mesmorized by the swirling water. 

A few books that explain more about tornadoes and the science behind them include:

I hope you never have to experience a tornado; but if you do, remember to be brave like Ruby Jean!

We are covering all 50 States with some amazing books & projects!  Browse the list below for your favorite states and enjoy 'booking across the USA'!

Alaska: Little Wonders’ Days

Arizona: Simply Kinder

Arkansas: Homeschooling in Arkansas

California: Juggling with Kids and The Outlaw Mom

Colorado: Learners in Bloom and Living Montessori Now

Connecticut: The Teacher Park

Delaware: Mama Miss

Florida: Teaching Stars

Georgia: Fabulously First

Hawaii: Teaching With Style

Idaho: True Aim Education

Illinois: Growing Book by Book

Indiana: Teach Preschool

Iowa: Surviving a Teacher's Salary

Kansas: KCEdventures

Kentucky: Chicken Babies

Louisiana: New Orleans Moms Blog

Maine: Maine Adventure Mom and Country Fun Child Care

Maryland: Picture Books and Piourettes

Massachusetts: Mama Smiles

Michigan: Play DrMom

Minnesota: The Wise Owl Factory

Mississippi: Hey Mommy, Chocolate Milk

Missouri- Ready. Set. Read!

Montana: The Honey Bunch

Nebraska: The Good Long Road

Nevada: Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy Crafts

New Hampshire: Elementary Matters

New Jersey: The Pleasantest Thing

New Mexico: Enchanted Homeschooling Mom

New York: What Do We Do All Day

North Carolina: Realistic Teacher Blog

North Dakota: ND HealthWorks

Ohio: Smart Chick Teacher’s Blog

Oklahoma: Herding Kats in Kindergarten

Oregon: Journey of a Substitute Teacher

Pennsylvania: Land of Once Upon a Time

Rhode Island: Smiling in Second Grade

South Carolina: Cookies and Kiddos and JDaniel4’s Mom

South Dakota: The Wise Owl Factory

Tennessee: No Monkey Business

Texas: Curls and a Smile and Kid World Citizen

Utah: Teach Beside Me

Vermont: Burlington Vt Moms Blog

Virgina: Once Upon a Story, and The Freckled Homeschooler

Washington: Home Learning Journey and Boy Mama Teacher Mama

West Virginia: This Week @ Great Peace Academy and Mamas Like Me

Wisconsin: Reading Confetti

Wyoming: No Twiddle Twaddle

USA: The Corner on Character

All 50 States for Booking Across the USA Blog Hop A book review and crafts, activities, or freebies are included in each post. All the posts were live on February 25, 2013.
Booking Across the USA Host: Growing Book by Book	AlabamaAlabama Blog Post by Everyday Snapshots Blog	AlaskaAlaska Blog Post by Little Wonders' Days Blog
Arkansas Arkansas Blog Post by Country Fun Book Files	ArizonaArizona Blog Post by Simply Kinder	CaliforniaCalifornia Blog Post by Juggling with Kids California Blog Post by The Outlaw Mom
ColoradoColorado blog Post by Learners in Bloom Colorado Blog Post by Living Montessori Now	ConnecticutConnecticut Blog Post By Teacher Park Blog	DelawareDelaware Blog Post by Mama Miss
FloridaFlorida Blog Post by the Teaching Stars Blog	GeorgiaGeorgia Blog Post by Fabulously First Blog	HawaiiHawaii Blog Post by Teaching with Style
Idaho Idaho post by True Aim Education Blog	IllinoisIllinois State Post by Growing Book by Book	IndianaIndiana State Post by Teach Pre-School Blog
IowaIowa Blog Post by Surviving a Teacher Salary Blog	KansasKansas Blog Post by KCEdventures	KentuckyKentucky Blog Post by Chicken Babies
LouisianaLouisiana Blog Post by Your Child's Next Book and Project Blog	MaineMaine Blog Post by Country Fun	MarylandMaryland Blog Post by Picture Books and Piourettes
MassachusettsMassachusetts Blog Post by Mama Smiles Blog	Michigan Michigan Blog Post by Play Dr. Mom	MinnesotaMinnesota Post by the Wise Owl Factory Book a Day Blog
MississippiMississippi Blog Post by Hey Mommy, Chocolate Milk	MissouriMissouri Blog Post by Ready, Set, Read Blog	MontanaMontana Blog Post by The Honey Bunch
Nebraska Nebraska Blog Post by The Good Long Road	Nevada Nevada Blog Post by Boy Oh Boy Oh Boy Crafts Blog	New Hampshire New Hampshire Blog Post by Elementary Matters
New Jersey New Jersey Blog Post by The Pleasantest Thing	New Mexico New Mexico Blog Post by The Enchanted Homeschooling Mom Blog	New York New York Blog Post by What Do We Do All Day Blog
North CarolinaNorth Carolina Post by the Realistic Teacher Blog	North DakotaNorth Dakota Post by ND Health Works	Ohio Ohio Blog Post by the Smart Chick Teacher Blog
Oklahoma Oklahoma Blog Post by Herding Kats in Kindergarten	Oregon Oregon State Post by Journey of a Substitute Teacher Blog	Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Blog Post by the Land of Once Upon a Time
Rhode Island Rhode Island Blog Post by Smiling in Second	South Carolina South Carolina Blog Post by Cookies and Kiddos	South DakotaSouth Dakota Blog Post by Wise Owl Factory Book a Day
Tennessee Tennessee Blog Post by No Monkey Business	Texas Texas Blog Post by Curls and a Smile Texas Blog Post by Kid World Citizen	Utah Utah Blog Post by Teach Beside Me Blog
Vermont Vermont Blog Post by Vermont Moms Blog	Virginia Virginia Blog Post by Once Upon a Story Blog Virginia Post by the Freckled Homeschooler Blog	Washington Washington Blog Post by Home Learning Journey
West Virginia West Virginia Blog Post by Great Peace Academy Blog West Virginia Blog Post by Mamas Like Me	Wisconsin Wisconsin Blog Post by Reading Confetti	Wyoming Wyoming Blog Post by No Twiddle Twaddle
USA USA Blog Post by the Corner on Character Blog

All 50 States for Booking Across the USA Blog Hop A book review and crafts, activities, or freebies are included in each post. All the posts were live on February 25, 2013.
Booking Across the USA Host: Growing Book by Book	AlabamaAlabama Blog Post by Everyday Snapshots Blog	AlaskaAlaska Blog Post by Little Wonders' Days Blog
Arkansas Arkansas Blog Post by Country Fun Book Files	ArizonaArizona Blog Post by Simply Kinder	CaliforniaCalifornia Blog Post by Juggling with Kids California Blog Post by The Outlaw Mom
ColoradoColorado blog Post by Learners in Bloom Colorado Blog Post by Living Montessori Now	ConnecticutConnecticut Blog Post By Teacher Park Blog	DelawareDelaware Blog Post by Mama Miss
FloridaFlorida Blog Post by the Teaching Stars Blog	GeorgiaGeorgia Blog Post by Fabulously First Blog	HawaiiHawaii Blog Post by Teaching with Style
Idaho Idaho post by True Aim Education Blog	IllinoisIllinois State Post by Growing Book by Book	IndianaIndiana State Post by Teach Pre-School Blog
IowaIowa Blog Post by Surviving a Teacher Salary Blog	KansasKansas Blog Post by KCEdventures	KentuckyKentucky Blog Post by Chicken Babies
LouisianaLouisiana Blog Post by Your Child's Next Book and Project Blog	MaineMaine Blog Post by Country Fun	MarylandMaryland Blog Post by Picture Books and Piourettes
MassachusettsMassachusetts Blog Post by Mama Smiles Blog	Michigan Michigan Blog Post by Play Dr. Mom	MinnesotaMinnesota Post by the Wise Owl Factory Book a Day Blog
MississippiMississippi Blog Post by Hey Mommy, Chocolate Milk	MissouriMissouri Blog Post by Ready, Set, Read Blog	MontanaMontana Blog Post by The Honey Bunch
Nebraska Nebraska Blog Post by The Good Long Road	Nevada Nevada Blog Post by Boy Oh Boy Oh Boy Crafts Blog	New Hampshire New Hampshire Blog Post by Elementary Matters
New Jersey New Jersey Blog Post by The Pleasantest Thing	New Mexico New Mexico Blog Post by The Enchanted Homeschooling Mom Blog	New York New York Blog Post by What Do We Do All Day Blog
North CarolinaNorth Carolina Post by the Realistic Teacher Blog	North DakotaNorth Dakota Post by ND Health Works	Ohio Ohio Blog Post by the Smart Chick Teacher Blog
Oklahoma Oklahoma Blog Post by Herding Kats in Kindergarten	Oregon Oregon State Post by Journey of a Substitute Teacher Blog	Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Blog Post by the Land of Once Upon a Time
Rhode Island Rhode Island Blog Post by Smiling in Second	South Carolina South Carolina Blog Post by Cookies and Kiddos	South DakotaSouth Dakota Blog Post by Wise Owl Factory Book a Day
Tennessee Tennessee Blog Post by No Monkey Business	Texas Texas Blog Post by Curls and a Smile Texas Blog Post by Kid World Citizen	Utah Utah Blog Post by Teach Beside Me Blog
Vermont Vermont Blog Post by Vermont Moms Blog	Virginia Virginia Blog Post by Once Upon a Story Blog Virginia Post by the Freckled Homeschooler Blog	Washington Washington Blog Post by Home Learning Journey
West Virginia West Virginia Blog Post by Great Peace Academy Blog West Virginia Blog Post by Mamas Like Me	Wisconsin Wisconsin Blog Post by Reading Confetti	Wyoming Wyoming Blog Post by No Twiddle Twaddle
USA USA Blog Post by the Corner on Character Blog