Los Angeles

Ever wanted to sail the flower-filled canals of Xochimilco, scarf down a pastrami sandwich, or peruse the Louvre? With bite-size factoids, streamlined layouts, and striking full-color photos, these high-interest installments in the brand-new Citifed! series may be the next best thing. Over the course of nine photo-dense, double- page spreads, each volume introduces a city’s geographic location, population, prominent destinations, and cuisine. In Los Angeles, readers learn of the city’s diverse terrain, balmy climate (an average temperature of 64° F!), and cherished landmarks, from the 350-foot-long Hollywood sign to the La Brea Tar Pits museum. Mexico City takes a decidedly more historical approach, detailing the “thousands of years”–old city’s watery beginnings, currently sinking land, and ancient voladores (pole fying) rituals. …Paris presents a well-balanced glimpse of the City of Light, illuminating its romantic finer points—the Eifel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the chocolate—as well as its skull-strewn catacombs and leering gargoyles. … each entry’s inclusion of multilingual vocabulary words, pronunciation guides, and appended map and picture glossary are guaranteed to stir wanderlust—and multicultural awareness—in many travelers-to-be.

K-Gr 2–Children are welcomed to tour select major world cities in this vibrant and visually pleasing series. The majority of the content in each book is dedicated to covering kid-friendly historic sites, zoos, museums, and parks as well as popular sporting events and foods to eat. In each title, four to six locations are covered, providing readers with a well-rounded understanding of the general character of each metropolis and what its citizens value and enjoy. A concluding “Map It!” page places all visited sites on an otherwise featureless city map. Photos are bright and attractive with a mix of full-page and full-spread shots with insets that show details or related topics. VERDICT: Not groundbreaking, but appealing enough to draw a readership.