India

Gr 4-8-What helps these books stand out from the pack is their high-quality, rich photography. The eye-catching, accessible layouts feature images that represent many aspects of the individual nations, from lush country vistas to colorful cityscapes; the photos provide as much information as the texts. The volumes are organized in standard country-book format of geography, history, people, nature, etc. Each chapter includes a detailed, easy-to-read map that highlights the particular topic. The writing is straightforward and solid. Frequent sidebars and insets bring attention to important figures, endangered animals, or other topics of interest related to the country. While the focus really seems to be on the natural world, brief mentions of political discord and other issues are made throughout, such as the recent presidential elections in Nigeria that were tainted by violence. Suggestions for ways to spice up reports and appropriate resources are included. Excellent choices for libraries looking to update their 900s.-Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.