THE CHILDREN OF CHINA; THE CHILDREN OF NEPAL

by Reijo Harkonen ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 1990

First published in Finland in 1988 and 1985, these books in a new series on ""The World's Children"" are highlighted by outstanding photography--which is unfortunately coupled with lackluster texts. With good reason, Pitkanen is the contributor featured on the title page; his color photos of landscapes and works of art and candid shots of people of all ages, especially children, are striking in their variety and vividly reproduced. But although some attempt is made to include a broad range of information apropos of the photos, the texts serve chiefly only to caption them; and it is not even always clear what is represented. Each book includes just one very simple map showing towns mentioned and major rivers but no other physical features. These are in fact not books just about children; rather, typical children are shown in the context of their society. While Nepal does give a feel for the poverty and tribal diversity of this beautiful country and mentions the pressure of population on the environment, China is of necessity a superficial introduction to its vast subject, though the section on Tibet adds an extra dimension. In spite of weaknesses, both are of interest for their fine photos.

Pub Date: May 1, 1990

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 4048

Publisher: Carolrhoda

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 1990

Categories: CHILDREN'S