Israel

Children's Literature

In many ways, a kid's life in Israel is a lot like a kid's life in the United States. They go to school, play sports, love to eat and watch television. Older kids watch MTV and younger children even have their own version of Sesame Street called, "Rehov Sum-Sum." From what daily lives are like, to favorite games and holidays, this book provides a broad look at the country and people. The author does an excellent job of making the culture and country seem more familiar to the reader than foreign. The book includes a map, a description of school programs, a recipe, Hebrew alphabet, a game, even steps to a national dance. A glossary, fast facts about Israel and short bios on three well-known Israelis and a book and website bibliography are also included. The layout provides just enough text versus white space. Vibrant photographs of the people and country make the culture come to life. Information is sometimes vague, often relying on vague words such as "many" and "some" rather than actual numbers or specifics. For the age level, however, this may not be an issue. This is an excellent resource for social science projects and book reports. Part of the "Discovering Cultures" series. 2004, Benchmark Books, Ages 9 to 12.
—Ruth Buchholz