A Family from Japan

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3These overviews look at life in their respective countries through the perspective of one "typical" family. The most useful information is found in the introductions, which have a map, basic facts, and a clear picture of the flag. The rest of the material could be found in a decent encyclopedia entry and is simply stretched out across the pages, with rarely more than two paragraphs of text per page. The device of presenting it through the family is merely a gimmick and lends nothing to an understanding of either country. Each family makes its initial appearance outside its home with all of its possessions piled up on the street, and it is not clear why this shot would be of interest to children unless they have several books in the series from different countries to compare. All of the full-color photos, at least two per double-page spread, were originally published in Peter Menzel's Material World (Sierra Club, 1994). The pronunciation guide, glossary, and index are moderately useful.Donna L. Scanlon, Lancaster County Library, PA