California has a long, storied past. There was a myth that it was an island. Spanish explorers thought they would find cities paved in gold there. When they did not, they left for over 100 years. It’s hard to imagine that California’s early explorers did not see its value. Explore California’s rich past with this nonfiction book that builds students’ reading skills and promotes social studies content literacy. The dynamic primary source maps and images provide authentic nonfiction reading materials and keep students interested in learning. Text features include a glossary, index, captions, sidebars, and table of contents. This book connects to California state studies standards and the NCSS/C3 Framework and features appropriately leveled text to accommodate different reading levels. Additional features include Read and Respond and a culminating activity that prompt students to dive deeper into the text for additional reading and learning.