(4) 4-6 Global Cities series. Photographs by Edward Parker. Readers are introduced to the history, culture, economy, environment, and challenges faced by this Brazilian city. Each section is dense with facts, reading like an encyclopedia entry, but the "case study" sidebars focusing on specific people or issues provide insider views. Well-captioned photographs, charts, graphs, and maps appear throughout the busy pages. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(3) 4-6 River Journey series. This overview of the Amazon River region covers topics thematically (nature, history, people, change, and economy) and is organized by geographic regions. Starting at the river's source, the author takes readers on a guided tour. Extended by well-captioned photos, the accessible text is up to date and will be useful to report writers. Addresses, reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow

(3) K-3 Families Around the World series. These two books feature a "typical" family posed in front of their house with all their worldly possessions. This unabashedly materialistic approach to portraying unfamiliar cultures has the advantage of making "them" seem more like "us." Though predictable, the text and photos are serviceable and do convey a sense of these families' daily lives. Bib., glos., ind.

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