How I Learned Geography facts for kids

How I Learned Geography is a special book by Uri Shulevitz. It tells a fictional story based on a real memory from his childhood. This book helps young readers understand how imagination can make tough times easier.

Story of the Book

This book tells the story of a family forced to leave their home. A war had made their land unsafe. They travel to a faraway city in the steppes, which are large, flat grasslands.

One day, the father goes to the market. He is supposed to buy bread for supper. Instead, he comes back with a huge map of the world. It is so big it covers an entire wall! The mother is upset because there is no food. She says, "'No supper tonight,' Mother said bitterly. 'We'll have the map instead.'"

Even though he is hungry, the young boy finds something else to enjoy. The colorful map becomes a bright spot in their simple home. The book's pictures are mostly in dull, earthy colors. But the map is full of bright colors. It helps the boy imagine amazing journeys. He pretends to visit exciting, faraway lands.

Real-Life Inspiration

Uri Shulevitz wrote this story based on his own life. He was a refugee in Turkestan during World War II. This was after the city of Warsaw was bombed. At the end of the book, you can see a drawing he made as a child. It shows the real map that inspired this story.

The book is simple and touching. It can help kids imagine their own adventures. It can also be a great way to start learning about geography in school. The map in the story truly takes children on a journey.

Art in the Book

Uri Shulevitz not only writes his children's books, but he also draws all the pictures. His artwork is very skillful and full of emotion. The pictures show the family leaving their war-torn home. They walk across the "dusty steppes" of Asia. The villages they pass are plain and simple.

But then, the art changes. It shows the boy's escape into his imagination. These scenes are dreamlike and beautiful. They show the amazing places he visits in his mind.