Hello, Europe!

Children's Literature

This overview of the European continent focuses primarily on the geography, topography, and climate of the continent. One key point is Europe's relationship to water—separate pages discuss Europe's proximity to oceans, its many rivers, and its varied coastlines. Although it is not discussed specifically, several sections imply the connection between Europe's geography and the development of its cultures. Facts are introduced by one or two sentences of basic information in large print; for example, "Europe's mountains are beautiful. They have glaciers, valleys, and lakes." One or two paragraphs in smaller print provide additional details about the given topic. Each page includes at least one color photograph; especially striking are photographs of people interacting with the land and with wildlife in the Netherlands and in Russia. Wildlife from across the continent is depicted in effective close-ups. A map of the continent is included on the last page, but the book lacks any other ancillary resources such as an index, glossary, or bibliography. Part of the "Our Amazing Continents" series. 2003, Millbrook,
— Norah Piehl

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4-Lavish illustrations do not compensate for the inconsistencies and inadequacies of content in this series. Each volume begins with the same textual description accompanying a continent-focused Earth photo and concludes with a map accompanied by the same text. The map key mixes terrain features (mountain, steppe) and climate attributes (mild, warm), which can confuse readers-young or old. Within each volume, there are inconsistencies in vocabulary level and the linkage of concepts, and inaccuracies. A headline reads: "Europe is the only continent that does not have any large hot deserts." This clearly ignores Antarctica, truly a continent "that does not have any large hot deserts." Some statements are pointless, such as the headline: "South America has many countries." Europe does not make the same claim, though it is a much smaller continent with more countries. The extensive photographs are not consistently linked to the text, and none of the books has pagination, a table of contents, or an index. Young readers would be better served by the "Continents in Close-Up" series (Raintree) and especially the "Continents" series (Heinemann Library).-Paul J. Bisnette, Silas Bronson Library, Waterbury, CT Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.