Australia

Children's Literature

Written at a second or third grade reading level, and providing solid information about Australia, this book is a good one for the beginning researcher. The book is organized into nine spreads, with each spread introducing a new topic. Topics covered include: climate, landforms, plants, animals, states and territories, people, living in Australia, and Australia and the world. The text is written using a simple sentence structure and a carefully controlled vocabulary. Each topic is covered in two or three short paragraphs. Coupled with the large print size and consistent placement of text on the page, this makes it nice for beginning or reluctant readers. The book is visually appealing as well. Dark purple topic headings introduce the information on each spread. Full color photos accompany each spread, and a bar of color traverses the bottom of each page of text. Each photo is accompanied by a one-line caption to help students understand the connection between the photo and the text. Harder words, such as "marsupials," "equator," and "territories" are bolded and defined in the glossary. Also included are a table of contents and an index to aid in quickly locating information, and suggested books and Internet sites for further information. Part of the "Seven Continents" series, this book has great social studies curriculum tie-in potential. An "Accelerated Reader" quiz is also available. 2006, Capstone Press/Bridgestone Books, Ages 8 to 12.
—Pat Trattles