John Wesley Powell book to all 4th graders in Arizona

Gov. Napolitano announced today that Arizona 4th graders will each get a copy of Down the Colorado: John Wesley Powell, The One-Armed Explorer by Deborah Kogan Ray. This is part of a program aimed at 1st and 4th graders to ensure every Arizona student has a new book to call his or her own. The book program is sponsored by private donors,

This year's fourth-grade book is funded by McDonald's, APS, Blue Cross Blue Shield Arizona, the Ibis Foundation, SCF Arizona, John and Dee Whiteman and Phoenix Suns' Wives Charities.

Once this year's selections are distributed, the program will pass the 1-million book mark.

The intent is to provide children with books that are not only fun to read, but also teach them about Arizona. This year's first-grade book is Big Moon Tortilla by Joy Cowley, and will be distributed thanks to the generosity of the Helios Foundation, Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. and Mercy Care.