New Mexico

Children's Literature

Pueblos, roadrunners, white sands—it must be New Mexico! Capstone's "Land and Liberty" series about the 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C. covers the usual topics—geography and climate, state history and government, the people and their culture—but the slender volumes offer an overview rather than an opportunity to delve into the differences that make each state unique. Maps are restricted to two, one showing cities, the other charting major geographical features. Since the text consists of short, declarative sentences, fluent readers may find it less than appealing; illustrations are mostly clear color photos, adequate, but not exciting. In this volume, the most striking depict wildlife—a javelina and a road runner. Surprisingly, despite the influential presence of Native Americans in New Mexico, their heritage is lightly touched upon; only two photos depict Native Americans. The arts, prominent in this state, are discussed briefly; no pictures show the elegant Indian pottery, jewelry, or weaving. A section called "State Challenges" does mention the plight of New Mexico's poor. Middle readers will enjoy a sidebar featuring Billy the Kid and, especially, a recipe for biscochitos, a traditional New Mexican cookie, offers a possibility for classroom cooking. Special features include an almanac (facts about the state), a short timeline, a glossary, and a bibliography, which, unfortunately, does not list works of fiction that might enrich understanding of the history and people of New Mexico. Compared to some others, the price of this series is modest, but so is its usefulness. 2004, Capstone, Ages 9 to 13.
—Barbara L. Talcroft