People Change the Land

Children's Literature

Early readers have a successful, enjoyable experience when they tackle educational books from Capstone's "Yellow Umbrella" series. This particular nonfiction book highlights the concept of change to the land. The beginning text on the first two pages asks readers to draw comparisons between farms and cities, tunnels and bridges, and lakes and dams. The comparisons help to define "change." The book also focuses on the land before and after change. Colorful, appealing photographs enhance the text. Every well-organized spread contains a bold green heading and three or four easy-to-read sentences. Several key vocabulary words are repeated again and again in sentences with similar structure. The repetition is a plus. The entire text is presented concisely in about 200 words. A simple, satisfying end page allows children to understand that they have the power to change the land. A combination glossary and index page follows the main text. This informative book supports national social studies standards and benchmarks as it teaches reading. 2004, Yellow Umbrella Books/Capstone Press, Ages 5 to 7.
—Nancy Garhan Attebury