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
What if the market was closed when you wanted to bake a pie? You could embark for Europe, learn Italian en route, and pick up some semolina wheat in Italy, an egg in France, kurundu bark for cinnamon in Sri Lanka, and an entire cow in England (butter) before coming home via Jamaica (sugar) and Vermont (apples). The expertly designed illustrations in which a dark-haired lass journeys by various means to these interesting places to get her groceries are lovely and lively, and the narrative, too, travels at a spritely pace. The journey is neither quite logical enough to be truly informative nor quite bizarre enough to be satisfyingly silly, while the rich, sweet recipe that's appended will take some adult assistance. Still, fun. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: May 2, 1994
ISBN: 0-679-83705-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1994
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
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