Environment Atlas

VOYA - Marilyn Brien

Beautiful maps and photos adorn this atlas. The first division of the book covers general topics, with sections on climate, resources, the greenhouse effect, earth's fragility, and the planet in danger. The other divisions of the book cover the continents, with sections on geographic areas. The section on Scandinavia includes statements on the Baltic Republics, which could easily lead a student to think they are part of Scandinavia. The environmentalist point of view, as illustrated by the following statement, dominates the text: "If you eat tuna fish, look for a 'dolphin friendly' label like this one from Thailand in Southeast Asia." Many tidbits of information are included, including stamps from many of the countries. But guidance for locating facts is lacking. The index includes only geographical locations, with no terms or topics. Would a student know to look for "slash and burn" agriculture under Brazil or illustrations of old and modern windmills on the pages with France and Benelux? Although the information is directed to the student in a question format, I think a young reader would have difficulty utilizing this book for research. I am hesitant to recommend this book as an environmental resource, but recommend it highly for the beautiful maps and photos. Index. Illus. Photos. Maps. Charts. VOYA Codes: 3Q 3P M J S (Readable without serious defects, Will appeal with pushing, Middle School-defined as grades 6 to 8, Junior High-defined as grades 7 to 9 and Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12).