City! San Francisco

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-- Simply written and directed to young tourists rather than young researchers, this book is big on images and slim on facts. The first and last chapters are specifically directed to visitors, with the intervening chapters giving a brief historical overview of San Francisco yesterday and today. Climo does an adequate job of defining terms such as ``coolie'' that might be unfamiliar to young readers, but her repeated use of ``what ifs,'' italicized words, and exclamations (``fire!,'' ``gold! ,'' ``silver! '') seems like overkill. The book is attractive, with glossy paper, wide margins, and numerous color photographs. Many of Ancona's photos are lovely, but quality varies and some are too small to do their subjects justice, while the double-page layouts detract from the impact of any one photograph. Pleasant to look at, this volume seems like a coffee-table gift book for the young. --Rosie Peasley, Sylvan Union School District, Modesto, CA