Let's Explore India

April 1, 2017
Preschool-G Smiling, colorfully dressed children greet readers as they embark on this brief tour of India. First, its landscape, wildlife, and plant life are described alongside crisp photos of snow-capped mountains, an elephant family, and a teak forest. Next, readers stop by a bustling city, an ancient temple, a cricket match, and a table filled with Indian food. The information in this title in the Bumba Books: Let's Explore Countries series is extremely basic, but the illustrations offer young readers a nice glimpse into another culture. Two-page spreads pair a large-scale picture with a colorful page of simple text and the occasional critical-thinking bubble, and the book ends with a map and picture glossary. Curious readers will crave more informational texts, but this is a good first stop on their journey.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

April 1, 2017
K-Gr 2-Content and illustrative flaws limit this set's effectiveness. Topics include the country's location, topography and landforms, notable plants and animals, rural and urban areas, popular foods, and recreation. The main text is supplemented with critical thinking questions that are too advanced for beginning readers, who will either have to search for answers elsewhere or rely on adults for information. Examples include questions about the reasons why the Chinese built the Great Wall or the types of items that could be built with teakwood in India. The single map is almost featureless, and photos are generic-few are captioned or have children as their subjects. VERDICT No improvement on extant sets.

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