Malaysia

Children's Literature

This is part of the "Cultures of the World" series and offers a comprehensive view of this Southeast Asian country. The geography, history, economy and culture are all covered for young students and there are many interesting sidebars. An entire chapter is devoted to the festivals, which are many because of the ethnic diversity of Malaysia. This is also made apparent in the section about food and manners, as the Muslims do not eat pork and the Hindus and Sikhs cannot eat beef, making it necessary to prepare various dishes for parties. Rice is eaten by all, however, and if it is refused, the superstition is that the reluctant guest will be bitten by a snake or a scorpion. Another unusual belief is that a young Malaysian woman should not sing in the kitchen as this guarantees that she will marry an old man. Several recipes are included along with colorful pictures of the food. Maps, a timeline and a glossary appear in the back of the book along with resources for further study. 2002 (orig. 1990), Benchmark Books/Marshall Cavendish, $35.65. Ages 10 up. Reviewer: Carolyn Mott Ford AGES: 10 11 12 13 14 15