Guatemala

Large, vibrant photos, many of children, are the strongest element of this attractive series. Clean layouts feature captioned double- or full-page photos and two to three sentences of simple text. Books open with a locator map and population statistics, and while topics vary somewhat by country, they generally include landforms, interesting animals, cities, crops, history, foods, and celebrations. The titles also feature a page with two simple words or phrases in the nation’s language and conclude with a brief “Fast Facts” summary page. Coverage is upbeat and emphasizes the country’s land, people, and animals rather than governments and institutions. VERDICT These offerings celebrate diversity and introduce nations that have strong ties with our own, making them good purchase choices.

Ready to do some armchair traveling? This entry in the Countries We Come From series lets readers explore Guatemala’s cities, landscape, ruins, and more. The first thing readers learn is that Guatemala is colorful, busy, and warm. Vibrant photo illustrations support this claim, showing huge, colorful kites, a crowded market, and bright green palm trees. While the text remains simple, it does dig a little deeper as the book progresses, offering basic facts on population, languages spoken, information about the Maya, and popular pastimes and celebrations. Large-scale photos grace almost every page, showing the country up close: a farmer picking coffee, a woman making tortillas, a quetzal in flight, and a smoking volcano. Though too spare for more in-depth reports, this provides a well-rounded and attractive first glimpse into life in another country.