Austria

Children's Literature - Laura J. Brown

Austria is a country with a long rich history and a culturally diverse population. Readers will find out many interesting facts about Austria, but the first chapter reads more like an expanded encyclopedia entry with one fact following another without any explanations or extensions of the facts being presented. It is possible that some readers will get lost in the rapid details. There are text features that are helpful. Words that are in bold font are in the glossary at the end of the book, but some readers may need more words in bold font due to the vocabulary of the text. Other text features include a "Fast Facts" chart and a time line in the opening pages of the book. A recipe for a favorite, traditional sweet is included and general German greetings, which is one of the languages spoken there. The book is well organized with a table of contents and an index. It is a great resource for a research project or recreational reading. Readers will enjoy learning about Austria's history, culture, daily life, holidays and festivals, climate, natural lands and resources, and plants and animals. Reviewer: Laura J. Brown