Birth

School Library Journal

Gr 2-5-Brief examinations of the customs and celebrations of people from the same 10 countries representing 6 continents. In Coming of Age, the rites of passage that lead to adulthood are outlined. In Birth, readers learn of the rituals and traditions surrounding the arrival of a newborn. Each title has a simple map and a few facts about each country. Both indigenous and urban people are represented. The clean layout and full-color photographs will appeal to those writing reports and a list of Web sites leads to supplemental information about tourism. Although international festivities have been documented before, few titles have outlined non-holiday celebrations in a way that allows for a comparison among different cultures. The "Life Times" series (Peter Bedrick) discusses how these events are celebrated by different religious groups.-Jennifer Oyama, Los Angeles Public Library, CA