Simmons, Walter. The Czech Republic.

Simmons, Walter.  The Czech Republic.     Scholastic/Grolier      32p  $17.26 978-0531-120-682-9      elem  Series: Exploring Countries (Scholastic)  VG

Written for younger readers, this book provides an overview of the Czech Republic in an engaging manner.  The Czech Republic, while barely two decades old in its current form, has a rich history and culture.  The author presents this in an informative and brightly illustrated fashion that will appeal to younger elementary-age students.  Each double-page spread presents a different aspect of the country, such as "The People" (pages 12-13), and "Holidays" (pages 24-25).  Illustrations are well placed with relationship to the text, and "Fun Facts" and "Did you Know" sections found throughout the text highlight bits of relevant information -- for example, a bit about wild wolves on page 11, and information about Prague on page 27.

Blastoff Readers is an informative collection of titles written for the most primary of elementary students.  There are 56 titles in the series, and given the format of the books, they provide a great introduction to the world’s nations for younger readers.              --Lynn Fisher