Alaska's National Lands

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4Four simplified titles that give readers limited, appetite-whetting glimpses of the state's geography, landscape, wildlife, and people. Their crisp, full-page photographs and large, readable print will appeal to newly independent and reluctant readers. Most of the photos are of excellent quality, but a few are a bit fuzzy, and in some cases it is difficult to determine what is being shown. They don't always match or enhance the narrative, but the captions provide additional information about the topic. Although the same basic map appears on each title page, there are, unfortunately, no maps within the texts. Numerous comparisons of Alaska to other states or places are made, yet there are no visuals to help readers understand them. Despite these flaws and the limited scope of information presented, the easy-to-read texts and appealing photographs may entice readers. However, there isn't enough information here to justify the purchase of four separate books that could have easily been combined into one. Joyce Johnston's Alaska (Lerner, 1994) is a better choice for reports and Claire Murphy's A Child's Alaska (Alaska Northwest, 1994) is more visually attractive.Roz Goodman, Bering Strait School District Media Center, Unalakleet, AK