Middle East - Peoples & Places, Middle East - History, African & Middle Eastern People

The Middle East (Kingfisher Knowledge Series)

Name: The Middle East (Kingfisher Knowledge Series)
Author: Philip Steele
ISBN: 9780753463130

by Philip Steele, Paul Adams

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Overview

The Middle East captures the richness and diversity of Middle Eastern culture, and places the region in its global context in a way that no other reference has done for this age group. By examining a wide range of themes, including religion resources, history, politics, and current affairs, and the embarking on a country-by-country examination, The Middle East is an excellent companion to any discussion of current news or social and political events.

Synopsis

Children's Literature

This survey of the Middle East lives up to the Kingfisher reputation for succinct, thorough information complemented by excellent photography. The illustrations depict the true range of lifestyles in Middle Eastern countries, from young boys in long cotton gowns climbing date palm trees to young women on an Iranian soccer team. The text and illustrations are current to the end of 2006, including voting in Iran, demonstrations in Lebanon, and bombs exploding in Iraq. In addition to an introductory section on the history and culture of the entire region, there are double-page spreads for each country and the Palestinian territories. Thousands of years of history become two-paragraph capsules, but critical events are covered, with one glaring exception—there is no mention of the kidnapping of American hostages in Iran. We have an early indication of how textbooks may treat the current war in Iraq: "In 2003 U.S. and British troops invaded Iraq, accusing Saddam Hussein of illegally developing weapons of mass destruction. The dictator was overthrown, but no weapons were ever found in 2006 Iraq was on the brink of civil war." There is a page of quick facts about each country, a thorough glossary and index, and an interesting "Go further" section of career possibilities (interpreter, oil production engineer), as well as novels and nonfiction books set in the region. There are even Web sites and phone numbers for tourist sites. Seeing an actual phone number for the Archaeological Museum in Amman may make the whole country seem more real to a young reader.

About the Author, Philip Steele

Philip Steele is an experienced writer and editor who has been writing books for children and adults on a wide range of topics including history, geography,cultural, and social themes for over 20 years.

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Editorials

Children's Literature - Karen Leggett

This survey of the Middle East lives up to the Kingfisher reputation for succinct, thorough information complemented by excellent photography. The illustrations depict the true range of lifestyles in Middle Eastern countries, from young boys in long cotton gowns climbing date palm trees to young women on an Iranian soccer team. The text and illustrations are current to the end of 2006, including voting in Iran, demonstrations in Lebanon, and bombs exploding in Iraq. In addition to an introductory section on the history and culture of the entire region, there are double-page spreads for each country and the Palestinian territories. Thousands of years of history become two-paragraph capsules, but critical events are covered, with one glaring exception—there is no mention of the kidnapping of American hostages in Iran. We have an early indication of how textbooks may treat the current war in Iraq: "In 2003 U.S. and British troops invaded Iraq, accusing Saddam Hussein of illegally developing weapons of mass destruction. The dictator was overthrown, but no weapons were ever found…in 2006 Iraq was on the brink of civil war." There is a page of quick facts about each country, a thorough glossary and index, and an interesting "Go further" section of career possibilities (interpreter, oil production engineer), as well as novels and nonfiction books set in the region. There are even Web sites and phone numbers for tourist sites. Seeing an actual phone number for the Archaeological Museum in Amman may make the whole country seem more real to a young reader.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-A concise overview of the history and culture of the region, defined as the countries of Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, the Palestinian territories, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, the Gulf states, Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan. The text is brief but informative, and current political controversies are touched on in an age-appropriate and evenhanded manner. "Go further-" sidebars offer suggested readings, definitions, and museums. A chart with basic facts and statistics about each country is appended. However, the real strength of this book is the appealing graphic design and the excellent-quality color photographs throughout. This would be a good choice for middle graders or reluctant readers doing research on this subject, though students needing more in-depth information would be better served by individual titles in the "Enchantment of the World" series (Children's Press).-Kathleen E. Gruver, Burlington County Library, Westampton, NJ Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.