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
