Map Types

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

Maps are drawings of places that give people information. There are many kinds of maps, and this book presents some of the ones that readers will commonly encounter, such as a weather map or a map of the United States as well as its borders. There are street maps to help us navigate through cities and, with a compass rose, tell what direction we are going. Political maps show countries, states, counties, and often physical features such as rivers, lakes, and oceans. Maps use symbols. For example, cities can be printed in a different font or color to show their importance, and the state capital may have a star next to it. Rivers may be blue and highways another color. The concept of borders is presented with a note that there are really no lines on the ground showing these borders between states or countries. Physical maps show landforms such as mountains, rivers, and lakes. Some even include more details, such as landmarks. A topographic map shows the shape of the land, how high a place is, and the area that that height covers. Weather maps can be detailed for your particular area, or they can give a look at the whole country. Satellite images are often projected on a map, such as one of the U. S., to show the weather patterns throughout the country. These kinds of maps show the big picture—such as a hurricane developing in the Gulf of Mexico. The index and glossary are found on the last page. This book is part of the series "All over the map." Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot