Destination San Juan

Children's Literature - Judy Katsh

The busiest seaport in the Caribbean is highlighted in this entry in the "Port Cities of North America" series. Full-color photographs accompany the text, which takes readers on an informal, armchair tour of San Juan, Puerto Rico. More than just the port city is described in this informative book. There are strands of history, culture, daily life, and nature woven into the description of the port and its city. Additionally, there is an explanation of the global economy and general trade practices that is understandable and comprehensive. A table of contents, an index, and a glossary will help information seekers and report writers. Interesting and exotic, Puerto Rico and its role in the global economy are well presented in this book.

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-Like similar dryly written geographical series, this one is strictly for reports. Chapters include "Lay of the Land," "The Rich Port," "The Port at Work," and "Key to the Americas." There's an impartial description of the city, with a few pages of side notes that provide "local-color" information: paragraphs on Ponce de Le n, sugarcane, and native parrots. While the information is clear and current, the book reads much like a textbook. M rquez tries to do too much, though, when discussion turns to subjects such as commodities exchanges and NAFTA, which will be lost on the intended audience. The author mentions the environmental impacts of dredging and shoreline development. The excellent, full-color photos have relevant captions. However, there is one photo of a worker protesting NAFTA, but the text makes no mention of why. The book's organization is good, and statistics can easily be drawn from the text for reports.-Karen Hoth, Marathon Middle/High School, FL