Cuba

March 1, 2019
Grades K-3 The books in the Look! Books: Hello Neighbor series (6 titles) each present an introduction to one country near the U.S. At the same time, they are so careful to avoid politics that they never actually mention the country's relationship with the U.S. They also avoid discussions of religion and overtly religious holidays. Instead, these titles address topics such as geography, national flags and symbols, favorite sports, Native people, local wildlife, and national holidays. The omission of a political or historical relationship is particularly jarring in Cuba, where surprising facts?such as that some Cubans drive American cars from the 1950s?go without additional explanation. Each spread is illustrated with a relevant map or color stock photo. Additional features include inset photos and Good to Know fact boxes. Despite the slightly bland tone, young students will find these books useful for basic research projects and informational social-studies reading.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)