Welcome to Bosnia and Herzegovina ANNOTATION
An overview of the geography, history, government, economy, people, and culture of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
FROM THE CRITICS
Children's Literature
Despite the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina has two names, it is one country with two distinct regions, each region giving a name to the country. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a beautiful country, which the full-color photos emphasize to wonderful effect. Despite a very turbulent past, the country has, for the past six years, maintained a stable government, worked hard to reestablish its economy and attempted to become a feature in European government. There are three distinct ethnic groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina�the Serbs, Bosniaks and Croats, and each ethnic group plays an important part in maintaining the balance of government. In addition, the family and lifestyle of each ethnic group is very important to the well being of the country. Included are a map, quick facts, a glossary, additional sources to consult and an index. Part of the "Welcome to My Country" series. 2002, Gareth Stevens, $23.93. Ages 7 to 12. Reviewer: Danielle Williams
School Library Journal
Gr 3-5-The usual topics in geography, history, and culture are covered in chapters ranging from two pages on language to eight on peoples and lifestyle. The large print, with highlighted words defined in a glossary, and the colorful, sharp photographs result in an appealing format. Most readers, however, will not find much of the text as interesting as the pictures. Covering history from the seventh century B.C.E. through the 1990s in eight pages assumes an understanding of world history that elementary-school students are unlikely to have. The cultural sections are better but not without problems. For example, how meaningful is a statement that Aljamiado literature, a form of Bosnian poetry, has Arab and Spanish influences? Under religion, readers are told that "Among Muslim Bosniaks-most do not strictly follow Islamic rules. Bosniak women, for example, do not wear veils." This is misleading since only in a few conservative Islamic countries are women veiled, and there is no mention that many Muslim women in Bosnia do follow the more widespread custom of wearing head scarves. In addition, while the pronunciation for bans, or viceroys, is given, no help is provided with proper names, which will surely baffle most readers. In short, this book can be useful for its photographs and to answer report questions, but the entire text will not be read by many youngsters.-Elizabeth Talbot, University of Illinois, Champaign Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
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