South Africa FROM THE CRITICS
Children's Literature - Jackie Hechtkopf
This fascinating examination of South Africa's struggle to enter the twenty-first century is part of a Steck-Vaughn series entitled "The Changing Face Of." It possesses an attractive layout with classy color photographs expressly taken for this book by Tony Binns. The tastefully written text provides information about the difficulties faced by the South African population since the end of apartheid in the early 1990s. Without rancor, it explains how fifty years of legal discrimination have left inequalities that cannot be erased in a mere decade. Over fifty percent of blacks still have no electricity, flush toilets, or piped water. Author Rob Bowen does an excellent job of focusing on the efforts of the current government to improve the lives of its citizens rather than wallowing in a depiction of misery. A powerful feature entitled "In Their Own Words" provides short interviews with South Africans of all ages, explaining their lives and looking forward to a better future. The AIDS epidemic and its devastating effect on the population is discussed without mentioning how the disease is transmitted. (Only the glossary reveals this information.) Despite the many challenges discussed, South Africa is portrayed as a country on the road to a brighter tomorrow. 2002, Raintree Steck-Vaughn,
School Library Journal
Gr 5-7 A post-apartheid view of South Africa that will attract both browsers and report writers. The socioeconomic state of affairs during apartheid is touched upon, but the focal points are the economic, political, and social changes after 1994. Interesting asides are provided in the "In Their Own Words" sections on every spread. These boxes feature photos of local residents and quotes from them on some aspect of their life in South Africa. Though the entries are brief, they provide a personal look at the country from people of diverse backgrounds and points of view. The many well-placed color photographs and occasional charts are informative. Useful for both classroom and library collections. -Ajoke T. I. Kokodoko, Oakland Public Library, CA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
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