Welcome to Kenya (Spyglass Books, Social Studies)

PreS-K-Attractively bordered two-page "chapters" consist of two or three sentences about work, food, clothing, home and a few fun facts facing a full-page, full-color photograph. Each book ends with a brief, illustrated folktale. Though child-friendly, the texts are oversimplified to the point of misrepresentations and inaccuracies. In Kenya, the young narrator's hair and dress indicate that she is Masai, though she is not identified as such, and all depictions of the people, save one, are of her culture. This is misleading in a country with so many distinctive ethnic groups who have differing ways of life. Mexico fares slightly better because it identifies the region covered as Mexico City. Even so, it is too narrowly focused to be a useful study of the country as a whole. The author provides a glance at the life of a young boy whose father owns a restaurant. His general statements, such as "My family works hard" and "In Mexico, we eat a lot of corn," teach little about this diverse country. These books are not substantive enough to warrant purchase.-Ajoke' T. I. Kokodoko, Oakland Public Library, CA Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.


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