Peru

February 1, 2012

Gr 3-5-These books offer concise, vibrant, and interesting looks at the featured countries. Relevant topics like location, land, animals, and culture (food, people, work, play, and holidays) are briefly and clearly described. The "did you know?" and "fun fact" boxes add visual appeal and interest. The volumes are current; Chile includes a blurb about the trapped and rescued miners of 2010. Each page brings new information as well as gorgeous photos of landscapes, tourist attractions, animals unique to the region, and people. Words in the glossaries are highlighted in bold. "To learn more" sections include websites and both fiction and nonfiction: Guatemala suggests a collection of Mayan folktales, while Chile lists Pam Munoz Ryan's The Dreamer (Scholastic, 2010). As level five readers, the language is attention-grabbing, but not too daunting for struggling/beginning readers. Good for research as well as for pleasure reading, these books are great for collections that need updated country information.-Jasmine L. Precopio, Fox Chapel Area School District, Pittsburgh, PA

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