Israel

Visit the bustling, noisy, modern Jewish homeland of Israel. Explore Israel’s contentious history since its creation in 1948. Walk the streets of Jerusalem, holy city of three religions; visit Bethlehem, birthplace of Christ. Learn about the unique Israeli social experiment of the Kibbutz. Study the context of Israel’s embattled place on the Middle East map.

VOYA

Even though there are already many excellent nonfiction books that explore the countries of the world, this latest series is not to be missed. Known for an incredible attention to the facts and absolutely breathtaking photographs, the publisher does not disappoint and makes the country information more accessible to younger readers. These slim volumes are full of useful and entertaining data on everything from the weather to the economy and much more. Both titles selected for this review, Ireland and Israel, are extremely impressive. The past, present, and future of both countries are covered in fascinating detail in easy-to-understand language that does not talk down to its younger audience. The photographs themselves tell a great deal about the country. For instance, the volume on Israel includes a photo featuring high school students with machine guns stowed under their desks. A powerful image, and like every photo in these volumes, it is accompanied by a clear, concise caption complete with an arrow pointing to the image it is explaining. A section at the end of each volume called, "Add a little extra to your country report," gives tips on Web sites to find further information on things such as the country's national anthem, flag, and currency. This series is perfect for students not quite ready for Scholastic's longer, more complicated Enchantment of the World books. Reviewer: Shari Fesko