There are plenty of alphabet books, but when you read about Paul Bunyan and his blue ox Babe you know you are in Minnesota. These characters are from just one entry in M is for Minnesota, a beautiful children's book that will both entertain and delight readers of all ages. Author Dori Hillestad Butler has hand-picked the best of the state, from the northern tip (N is for Northwest Angle, the northern-most point in the lower 48 states) to the great Mississippi River.

Illustrator Janice Lee Porter portrays the subject of each letter in original oil paintings, bringing facts and stories to...