Chile (Countries of the World)

Grade 5-8-This volume begins with an overview of the country's geography, history, government, economy, people, and culture. The middle section zeroes in on specific topics such as astronomy, Easter Island, endangered wildlife, Bernardo O'Higgins, and the women of Chile. The final section focuses on the country's relations with North America. A detailed color map is appended along with a large blank map that can be duplicated for classroom use. A quick-fact page and a Spanish and English vocabulary glossary are included, but there is no bibliography. While the excellent-quality color photographs and reproductions are enticing, the style of writing is dry and the organization is choppy. In some cases, the information is incomplete; for example, the history section ends with the 1990 election of the Chilean president Patricio Aylwin Azocar, and there have been two other presidents since then. Sylvia McNair's detailed, accurate, and readable Chile (Children's, 2000) is a better choice.
Kristina Aaronson, Henniker Community School, NH
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