P Is for Philadelphia

by Susan Korman

P Is for Philadelphia is a unique, alphabetic tour of the city and the region, illustrated by the area's public school children, who participated in a city-wide drawing contest. From A is for Athlete... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1592131077
• ISBN13: 9781592131075
• Release Date: January 2018
• Publisher: Temple University Press
• Length: 64 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 10.4" x 8.4"
• Age Range: 6 to 9 years
• Grade Range: Grades 1 to 4

Customer Reviews

Pretty good, overall

I live in PhiladelpHia and bought this for my seven year old son, who loves history, especially of our city. He enjoyed the book, if we read it together. It was slightly above his reading level. The passages are accurate overall, but I felt as if they do not completely represent the city of Philadelphia. Overall, both my son and I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to young people interested in the Philadelphia.

A Delightful And Well-Illustrated Guide to Philadelphia

The author has written and delightful and well-illustrated guide to Philadelphia, from A (Athletics) to Z (Zoo). Her book is charmingly illustrated with original art from Philadelphia school children. Her alphabetical chapters include Benjamin Franklin, Cheese Steaks, Delaware Indians, Elfreth's Alley, Fairmount Park, Gardens, Hospitals, Independence Hall, Justice, Kimmel Center, Leaders, Mummers, Neighborhoods, Outdoor Festivals, Philadelphia, Quakers, Rivers, Sculpture, Trains, Underground Railroad, Valley Forge, Washington Square, Xylophones, and Youth. Written in a format appealing to children by an active author of children's books, the text has numerous facts that will surprise even adult philly boosters. We learn that about 9000 fugitive slaves passed through Philadelphia on the Underground Railroad, that Philadelphia has more outdoor art than any other American city, that Manyunk, now a thriving Philadelphia neighborhood with eating and drinking establishments galore was once a name for the Schuykill River and it means "where we drink." The author, a suurban Philadelphian, teachers us that Mummers Parade tradition goes back to the original Swedish immigrants who preceded William Penn's arrival in 1681; that Philadelphia was the home of the first hospital, the first medical school and our country's oldest medical research center, as well as pioneering leaders in mental health and surgery; that Philadelphia has the largest Quaker meeting house in the world and the essence of Quakerism is the once radical belief that there is a spark of God in every person. We learn how outsiders are active in naming activities and place: William Penn's Religious Society of Friends was named the Quakers by a judge told by founder George Fox that he must tremble, or quake, at the word of the Lord; Independence Hall got its name from the Revolutionary War her Marquis de Lafayette, who visited in 1824, when it was known as the old Pennsylvania State House and called it a "hall of independence." She also tells us that it's basement served in the 1850's as the city's dog pound and that the Liberty Bell was last rung in February, 1846 in honor of George Washington's birthday. This book is a mixture of fun, frivolity, and profundity. It's list of remarkable Philadelphia leaders include early anti-slavery and feminist leader Lucretia Coffin Mott, artist Maxfield Parrish, senior citizens chamption Maggie Kuhn, Puerto Rican leader Dr. Jose De Celis, civil rights leader Leon Sullivan, basketball star and businessmen Jullius Irving, and Philadelphia Mayor and Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell. It is likely that this is the only book in existence mentioning all of the above. Philly boosters who read this book will learn that the William Penn Charter School was the private school to educate poor children for free, and that the first private school not connected with a religious group was the Germanown Academy, and the first college not connected with a reli