Simmons,
Walter. El
Salvador. Scholastic/Grolier 32p $16.10 978-0531-120-694-2 elem Series: Exploring Countries (Scholastic) VG
El Salvador is the smallest country in
Central America. It is bordered by
Honduras and Guatemala and the Pacific Ocean. It has
an active volcano called Santa Ana that in fact did erupt as recently as 2005. You can find
beautiful tropical birds such as the blue and gold macaws, toucans and
quetzals. They do have
alligators and crocodiles living in their lagoons. There are 6 million people
living in this small country. Spanish
is their official language. Their
children wear uniforms to school. One of
their favorite foods are the empanadas (stuffed pastry) and atol (a thick drink
made from boiled corn).
The book is very colorful and full of
pictures. This first book on El Salvador for
children will keep them entertained and should encourage them to learn more
about the country. Although the book is small, the
author made the most of the information provided. It includes a section of Spanish words, and it could be a
great resource for teachers. It includes "Fun Facts", "Did You Know", a few graphs, a map, a
glossary,
an index, and a list of resources for further information, including web sites.
The series is Exploring Countries: Blast Off! Readers. Level 5 includes over 50 books on countries. My only concern is
that if a teacher tries to go to the web site www.scholastic.com/librarypublishing, she will have trouble, as the web site is not recognized by the internet. This needs to be corrected. But the books are great. --Magna Diaz
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