South Korea

Information-packed, volumes cover the history, government, nature, geography, climate, resources, people, and recreational activities of each titular nation. Excellent color photos, many capturing the diversity of local people, convey the country’s vibrancy, as does each title’s upbeat tone. “Did You Know?” and “What Do You Think?” sidebars add information and/or pose questions; titles sometimes also use graphics to convey data. Highlights of each book include a “before-and-after-reading” guide for adults that offers strategies to develop students’ nonfiction reading skills. Iraq omits all mention of political turmoil; Brazil suggests the nation’s now-impeached president remains in office, which dates the volume. VERDICT Notable for its breadth, this series would make a fine introduction to world nations.