Spain ANNOTATION
Introduces the geography, history, economy, culture, and people of Spain.
FROM THE CRITICS
Children's Literature - Jane Harrington
Part of the "Cultures of the World" series, this research book on Spain is well-written but seems largely out of touch with the target age group. Though the sentence structure is basically appropriate, much of the text and vocabulary seems geared to adults. For example, "The Holy Week celebration is picturesque, yet it can also be disturbing, as the processions can take on a frightening air." Or, "Spaniards are a gregarious people..." Kids are apt to find descriptions like these to be too mature, thus dry and uninteresting. Many textual references will be lost on readers, such as a mention of "spaghetti westerns," which is not accompanied by any explanation. Pictures on every page make the reading easier to get through, but many of the images are of mediocre quality, or, again, lack kid-friendliness. The photos accompanying the page on endangered species, for instance, depict no animals at all, and the small section on soccer (Spain's favorite sport, according to the book), offers no pictures of a game. Subjects covered include geography, history, government, economy, environment, people, religion, language, art, food and other aspects of the culture. The book includes a table of contents, short glossary, maps, timeline, index, and a list of websites for further study. 2003 (orig. 1992), Marshall Cavendish, Ages 10 to 14.
School Library Journal
Gr 5-8-Colorful photographs with informative captions decorate almost every page of these revised editions (both 1995), contributing to an attractive layout. Various maps, such as an economic map and a cultural map, further explain the texts. The time line references events in the country and puts them in relation to what was happening elsewhere in the world. In Spain, the authors go into great detail about the "observance of Catholicism," generalizing that "most Spaniards now identify themselves by material means more than by religious beliefs." They then devote three pages to explanations of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. In contrast, Italy explains the role of the Catholic Church in the lives of Italians. Collections that have books about these countries from the "Enchantment of the World" series (Children's, 2001; 1999) probably don't need these titles.-Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
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