(2) YA Nira, daughter of stubborn Guyanese-Indian immigrants and the "only brown girl" in her Canadian high school, auditions for the school jazz band. As Nira validates her own talent, she sees that her friend Emily and her cousin Farah are also struggling to come to terms with their identities and family situations. This bittersweet, humorous coming-of-age story offers no easy solutions or redemption narratives, but Nira is a hopeful, relatable character.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(4) YA South America Today series. These books, though dryly written, will provide plenty of report information for study of South American nations. Main texts focusing on history, geography, and people are supplemented with maps, sidebars, photos, recipes (geared toward experienced cooks), events calendars, report ideas, and organizations to contact. There are nine other spring 2009 books in this series. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these South America Today titles: Bolivia, South America Facts & Figures, Peru, and Guyana.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow

(4) 4-6 Discovering South America series. Overviews of these South American countries introduce the geography, history, economy, politics, peoples, and culture of each place. Each brief chapter features dry, straightforward text and color photos of varying quality. Recipes and project ideas are appended. Those looking for in-depth information for reports will have to go elsewhere. There are seven other fall 2003 books in this series. Reading list, timeline, website. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Discovering South America titles: Colombia, Paraguay, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, and Guyana.]

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) 4-6 Cultures of the World series. These two comprehensive introductions discuss climate, poverty, educational systems, religious and artistic traditions, leisure activities, and history. Guyana examines the country's fight for independence; Paraguay looks at the fraught transition from dictatorship to democracy. Quality color photographs are included in both books, as are a page of basic facts and a culturally appropriate recipe. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Nell Beram