Turkey

March 1, 2013
Grades 4-6 Providing information on individual countries, the colorful books in the Social Studies Explorer series consider geography, climate, natural resources, history, education, government, religions, cultures, languages, sports, holidays, and foods. In each volume, one map shows the position of the featured country on the globe, while another map indicates its position within its region. Other illustrations, mainly color photos, are well chosen and attractive. The inclusion of a recipe and a craft is welcome, though these activities vary widely in degree of difficulty and in the adequacy of safety warnings. In some volumes, the overuse of questions and exclamation points detracts from the generally clear and informative texts. Turkey includes safety warnings, as needed, for suggested activities. The history section offers a concise, interesting survey of the country's past. Offering useful supplemental resources on countries, the series may be useful for larger libraries.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)