November 1, 2017
K-Gr 2-Students are introduced to countries and learn about their location, topography, animals, plants, food, cities, and culture. However, the information is trite and the photos do not necessarily expand or complement the text. Many images have no captions. A number of questions meant to encourage critical thinking cannot be answered based on what is covered in the texts. The maps have been simplified to the point of being pointless. There is also a quibble with the Spanish translation: Japan and India are usually referred to in Spanish as El Japon and La India-both with an article in front; and the language feels stilted. VERDICT Readers are unlikely to gain much from these volumes.
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