Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I will admit: I have only owned this for one day. But, I uploaded some pictures to show the overall quality and construction for anyone who is interested in details. The individual puzzle pieces are a sturdy 5mm thick. The puzzle board itself is 1cm thick. I love how the puzzle *pieces* say the name of the state, whereas the puzzle *board* lists only the state capitals. Kids can't just match up words, they have to think about what they are doing, and...so did I. :P You can't put a state piece in its place without noticing its capital. Great way to learn! As for the east coast pieces, Main has its own piece. Vermont and New Hampshire share a piece; as do MA, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and DC all share one piece. Pennsylvania has its own, as does NY. The grouping of the eastern states is great for 2 reasons. One, the pieces are bigger and less likely to be lost. And two, little fingers would have a hard time maneuvering those tiny states into place if they weren't grouped. I like how there is a compass on the puzzle and how the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans are labeled, as well as the gulf of Mexico. Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario are also listed *on the board*. The only things I wish the puzzle had were a depiction of where Mexico and Canada are, as well as some way to represent where the major mountain ranges are. But then, it may look too cluttered if it had all of that. There is a nice color finish to the puzzle board and pieces, however I can't say how well it would hold up to a toddler scratching/biting it or water being spilled on it. But for my 8 year old: it looks perfect in every way. Melissa and Doug have won me over yet again. "Melissa & Doug United States of America Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle Capitals & State Outlines Under Pieces Ages 5+". "CC12249. USA Map Puzzle #3797. UPC 000772 037976" Purchased Feb. 2013