Children's Literature
This workmanlike overall survey includes succinct facts about Iraqi history, from ancient Mesopotamia to the current Saddam Hussein regime. Discussed are geography, weather, animals and plants, agriculture and industry, major cities, ethnic makeup, favorite foods, holidays, family groups, sports, and of course, the principal source of wealth, oil. Iraq's aggressive actions toward Iran and Kuwait and the resulting economic sanctions enforced by the United Nations are treated evenhandedly. A Fast Facts section and timeline chart summarize much of the information for easy access. Adequately illustrated with photographs and maps in black-and-white and color, the book has well-spaced type, short sentences, a glossary, an index, a brief vocabulary list in Arabic and Kurdish, and suggested web sites for further information. It is part of "The Countries" series. 2000, ABDO, $21.35. Ages 8 to 10. Reviewer: Patricia Dole
School Library Journal
Gr 4-6-These slim volumes cover a wide range of topics in very few pages. In trying to do too much, oversimplification is inevitable. Britton confuses readers when she states that "Iraq has a strong economy" and then on the next page says that sanctions have made it difficult for Iraqis to live well. She also overstates her case when she insists that the sanctions have not allowed the country to sell oil, when, in fact, Iraq has been allowed to export oil in limited quantities. There are errors in Russia, such as stating that, "The Ukrainian group speaks Uralic languages." Unfortunately, the format in both books seems to require lists of sometimes unfamiliar plants and animals, more lists of products that are manufactured, the citing of strings of cultural figures, and even the naming of museums and airports. It makes for dull reading and won't be very meaningful for the intended age group. There is no explanation of how to pronounce any of the Iraqi or Russian words or city names, and the equivalent of the words given for hello and good-bye in Russian are neither proper transliterations nor phonetically correct. A few Internet sites are suggested, but CIA and Library of Congress sites are hardly child-friendly choices.-Elizabeth Talbot, University of Illinois, Champaign Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
