Title: Around the World
Author: Ana Koza
Publisher: OutSkirts Press
ISBN: B00F3HPG36
Pages: 27, Paperback/Kindle
Genre: Children’s Books
Reviewed by: Gary Sorkin, Pacific Book Review
Book Review
Around the World is a delightful way to show young children the differences in people’s appearances and cultures. By setting each continent as a point of origin, author Ana Koza selectively picks a country and a child from a particular location and talks about clothes, food and customs of the region. Blending in the language differences of each region gives awareness to children from pre-school to second grade, the similarities inherent within the differences of the cultures.Artfully illustrated, Shaun Crum uses drawings of wide-eyed children, even a seal and penguin, to make each culture inviting and friendly. With bold yet basic illustrations on one side of the book, words printed clearly on the other, Around the World is an easy, fast and inspiring read for stimulating the imagination at bedtime, while being still simple enough to be picked up by young readers themselves.
The book is about Ellie, a six year old girl, with friends from all different countries. Each country is depicted on the drawings in the top corner further educating children of the various regions – along with a basic map of the world illustrating the vast distances where people come from.
As each page turns, Ellie tells of her friends. Mariana from Bulgaria, Pedro from Columbia, Madhu from India – just to name a few. Even the penguin and seal from Antarctica have smiling, inviting faces. It is a happy book indeed, and as Ellie’s friends wave goodbye, they each say “See you next time” in their respective languages. I would bet after a few times reading the book, kids remember the phrases, and may in fact surprise their parents someday when they say something to someone in their native language.
Printed in an 8½” square format, the thick stock pages and chrome-coated covers will enable Around the World to withstand the multiple children each book will undoubtedly be subjected too. Around the World is a marvelous addition to any pre-school or Kindergarten library, as well as a thoughtful gift for toddlers to first graders to have and enjoy. Ana Koza has created a valuable lesson of life, craftily stapled together into a book that will set young mind thinking about their friends from other places.
