Vietnam

July 1, 2003
Gr 2-4-Both of these books begin with an introductory greeting, "Namaste" for India, and "Xin ch o" for Vietnam. Short chapters in large-print texts give a quick overview of the geography, history, daily life, festivals, arts and literature, food, clothing, and present status of each country, with a focus on children's activities. Large, color photos with simple captions are found on each page, but the quality is uneven; several of them are dark or not sharply focused. For example, the dull double-page photo of the Taj Mahal does not show its real splendor. The time lines and indexes are very basic. Although there are no bibliographies, these books are well organized and easy to read, and could be used as additional resources for very simple reports.-Kristina Aaronson, Henniker Community School, NH

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