Washington, D.C.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-- These books are filled with handsome color photos and information on tourist attractions. Not intended to be used for assignments, they are for families or youth groups planning trips. None are all-inclusive; each leaves out some attractions that youngsters would enjoy, such as the FBI museum tour in Washington or the Museum of the City of New York. Nashville concentrates on the sites developed by the music industry (Opryland USA; various country music stars' museums; and even Graceland, which is over 200 miles away). New York discusses only Manhattan attractions, while Washington, D . C . concentrates on the area of the Mall and Georgetown's Embassy Row. Only Chicago discusses neighborhoods and ethnic enclaves in any detail. Both Chicago and Washington , D. C. are quite good on historical background. Each volume includes a simple map, tourism or Chamber of Commerce addresses, short statistical summaries, and information on average weather conditions for each season. The ``Downtown America'' series (Dillon) covers much the same material but includes addresses and phone numbers for many major attractions and has an equally attractive format. ``A Kid's Guide to . . . '' series (Gulliver/HBJ) covers each metropolitan area in more detail and also offers games, trivia notes, travel tips, etc., but in a much less attractive format. None of these series are as comprehensive as most adult travel guides, but they will be useful for families who wish to include their children in vacation planning. --Rosanne Cerny, Queens Borough Public Library, NY