A look at an important world culture that will show kids just how similar they are to others around the world.
An overview of Greek life and culture that offers readers a virtual tour through the country, as told from a child’s perspective.
In this latest installment of her children’s book series, Roman heads to Greece to take her readers on a whirlwind trip through its young narrator’s homeland. Much like her previous books, which focused on Hungary, France, Mexico, and other lands, this one presents an engaging look at a foreign country while also considering topics that kids will find relatable. The book opens with a map of Greece, and the narrator points out where it’s located on the globe. The narrator then describes Athens, the capital city, noting its vital role in the creation of democracy, as well as how Plato and Aristotle taught there and continue to have an enduring legacy. From there, the book moves on to everyday life, covering common Greek first names, the terms for various family members, and important tourist attractions. It also notes important moments in Greek history, such as the establishment of the Olympics, which may help kids understand why Greece is a particularly important country. The narrator describes iconic Greek foods in detail: “Tzatziki is a tangy sauce made from yogurt and cucumber to put on roasted lamb….You will always ask to finish your meal with loukoumades (loo-ka-mad-es), which is a doughnut covered with honey and cinnamon.” These descriptions, along with the helpful pronunciation key at the back (and phonetics scattered throughout the text), will make it easy for kids to imagine how the foods taste as they also add to their vocabularies. Overall, Roman’s engaging, concise writing style, combined with colorful illustrations and photos, provides an easy-to-follow summary of Greek culture. It’s an excellent place for kids to start if they’re researching Greece for a school project or if parents want to help them understand the similarities and differences between American and Greek societies.
A look at an important world culture that will show kids just how similar they are to others around the world.Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2014
ISBN: 978-1497526181
Page Count: 30
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Jan. 6, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The seemingly ageless Seeger brings back his renowned giant for another go in a tuneful tale that, like the art, is a bit sketchy, but chockful of worthy messages. Faced with yearly floods and droughts since they’ve cut down all their trees, the townsfolk decide to build a dam—but the project is stymied by a boulder that is too huge to move. Call on Abiyoyo, suggests the granddaughter of the man with the magic wand, then just “Zoop Zoop” him away again. But the rock that Abiyoyo obligingly flings aside smashes the wand. How to avoid Abiyoyo’s destruction now? Sing the monster to sleep, then make it a peaceful, tree-planting member of the community, of course. Seeger sums it up in a postscript: “every community must learn to manage its giants.” Hays, who illustrated the original (1986), creates colorful, if unfinished-looking, scenes featuring a notably multicultural human cast and a towering Cubist fantasy of a giant. The song, based on a Xhosa lullaby, still has that hard-to-resist sing-along potential, and the themes of waging peace, collective action, and the benefits of sound ecological practices are presented in ways that children will both appreciate and enjoy. (Picture book. 5-9)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-689-83271-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2001
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