(3) 4-6 J. J. Keki, a Jewish musician and farmer from a small village in Uganda with Jewish, Christian, and Muslim residents, was about to visit the World Trade Center on 9/11. The day's horrific events inspired Keki to return to Uganda to start a coffee cooperative that would include the whole community. An engaging photo-essay about an unusual agricultural experiment. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(2) 4-6 Traveling Photographer series. From the arrival of tiny eggs to the growth of silkworms in baskets of mulberry leaves, the cooking of cocoons, and the creation of cloth, Sobol describes the stages of creating silk in lively writing and abundant photographs. With an appreciation for these Thai villagers and their culture, Sobol makes their story come alive in this follow-up to The Life of Rice. Glos.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2012

(4) 4-6 Sobol gives a personal, even casual, account of his visit to Cambodia's massive twelfth-century temple complex, the world's largest religious structure. An especially appealing section pairs photos of temple carvings with pictures of contemporary Cambodians engaged in similar activities (e.g., carrying water buckets, playing native instruments). There's some romanticizing of Sobol's experiences--and of historical record--in this otherwise inviting photo-essay. Glos.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann

(3) K-3 Photographer Sobol, while in Thailand investigating animal poaching, became fascinated with the country's main food crop: rice. This volume describes Sobol's experiences learning more about the crop's history, farming practices, and importance to the Thai people. Vivid photographs throughout support the text; "Rice Facts" are appended. Glos.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) 4-6 Wildlife photographer Sobol recounts his travels to Uganda to observe gorillas living in the Virunga Mountains. In his personable text, he also touches on the creatures' habits, diet, and threats. Close-up photographs of the gorillas in addition to many pictures of the surrounding countryside and villagers help round out an understanding of the endangered animals' homeland. Leonardo DiCaprio provides an afterword. Websites. Glos.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(3) K-3 The children of the Thai village Tha Klang grow up alongside the elephants that roam freely in their community. This lucidly written photo-essay depicts life for both elephants and people in this beautifully green, clearly low-tech region in which training the elephants has become a way for the village to survive. The crisp color photos convey both affection and respect for their subjects.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke

(4) K-3 Ten-year-old Adelina lives in the only place where gray whales visit with people: Laguna San Ignacio, in Baja California, Mexico. This photo-essay intersperses her peripheral experiences with (sometimes speculative) information about whale behavior. Crisp color photos capture the human-mammal interaction. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s foreword discusses his and his daughter's fight to protect these whales' environment.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke