Blashfield, Jean F. Australia.

Blashfield, Jean F.  Australia.  Scholastic/ Childrens Press      144p  $39.00      978-0-531-25308-3   ms  Series: Enchantment of the World (Childrens)*#5   VG-BNS           

The geography, history, economy, and culture of Australia are introduced in this easy-to-read, colorful middle-school book.      This book on Australia covers a lot of ground, for 144 pages ... the history, geography, economy, cultures and diversity of Australia.  It includes several maps, which are very helpful and are included in the index for easy referencing.  The illustrations are colorful and plentiful, and they help to break up the text in an aesthetically pleasing fashion.

The book does not shy away from certain controversial subjects, like the Rupert Murdoch hacking scandal and the Stolen Generations, the government policies that separated Aborigine children of mixed race, a practice that continued for six decades.  This is to be commended.

There is a disproportionately large focus on present-day Australian movie stars, rock stars, and the like, but this is probably an asset, as it will draw in the teenage set for whom the book was written.

The index and references for further information are well done and helpful.  The Scholastic Facts for Now search engine proved to be a good one as well.   

This second series of Enchantment of the World includes titles for many countries and is a valuable resource for students doing social studies research.                                                     --Carol Kennedy