(2) K-3 Illustrated by Alison Jay. Perseverance and a willingness to try new things win the day in this lively picture-book biography. Latvian Jewish immigrant Annie Cohen Kopchovsky (1870–1947) is a hard worker with a determined spirit, and when she sees an advertisement that the first woman to bicycle around the world in fifteen months will win ten thousand dollars, she immediately signs up for cycling lessons. Despite never having ridden a bicycle before, Annie (now with a new last name given to her by an advertiser) soon starts a grueling journey from Boston with many setbacks, from injury to thievery to overzealous customs officials. She builds support wherever she goes by connecting with other cyclists, completes her journey in the allotted time, and begins her new life as a celebrity journalist championing women's independence. Kirkfield's text picks up on attention-grabbing details, such as the single pair of underwear that is the only thing in Annie's pocket as she begins her ride, and keeps the story focused with a repeated chorus of "Pedal. Balance. Steer!" That refrain is often worked into the illustrations, the words winding beside Annie's bicycle in Jay's characteristic flat oil paintings with a crackled varnish that adds to the sense of history. Direct quotes are often included in speech bubbles in a cursive text (which can be difficult to decode). Back matter includes an author's note with more information on Kopchovsky, the history of biking and of women riding bikes, a timeline, and an extensive bibliography.

Reviewer: Laura Koenig | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(4) 4-6 Countries Around the World series. Both volumes contain a broad spectrum overview of their respective country. Topics explored relate to historical, geographical, environmental, social, political, and cultural details. Photos, maps, and sidebars provide additional insight. The information is truncated, but the books may be useful for school reports. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Countries Around the World titles: Czech Republic and Latvia.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Looking at Europe series. Originally published in the Netherlands, this series about emerging and lesser-known European countries features photographs (including pictures of contemporary kids), maps, illustrations, and graphs. Each book covers the country's history, people and culture, geography, and place in Europe today. There are a few translation quirks and the text is somewhat dry, but the series is a useful addition to a collection. Websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Looking at Europe titles: Looking at Latvia, Looking at the Czech Republic, Looking at Lithuania, Looking at Estonia, Looking at Slovakia, and Looking at Slovenia.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(3) 4-6 Cultures of the World series. With the help of color photographs, these books cogently introduce three European countries, looking at Latvia's and Moldova's transitions from Soviet rule and at Malta's road to independence. Each volume also discusses climate, economy, educational system, religious and artistic traditions, and leisure activities. Maps, a page of basic facts, and a traditional recipe are included in each book. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Nell Beram