A CHILD’S INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD

Globalization is integral to today’s society, and everyone, children and adults, needs a better sense of geography, but this atlas with old-fashioned watercolor illustrations and painted maps that are difficult to read is not the best way for kids to learn. It includes tidbits of information about history, holidays, inventions and foods, but it lacks area and population figures. Children in the middle-elementary grades need clear maps and photos to gain a sense of reality about the world. Warm fuzzy feelings (“Nature has given our planet amazing landforms”) and disparate fun facts have a place, but unfortunately this “introduction,” with its pop-up globe and stickers (not seen, but they may be the best part of the package) does little to de-romanticize the world’s cultures (in Ho Chi Minh City, “people ride bicycles instead of driving cars”). This oversimplified approach may work in other books in the A Child’s Introduction to… series, but in this subject area, The National Geographic World Atlas for Young Explorers (2007) is a better choice for home, schools and public libraries. (bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 9-11)