The cities, trading practices, and religious beliefs of these ancient civilizations from Mexico, Central, and South America, are fascinatingly documented in crisp color photographs, skillful illustrations, and captivating captions. The extraordinary accomplishments of these peoples regarding mathematics, communications, and skilled craftsmanship still evoke wonder today. Ind.

Gr 3-5-The three major civilizations of the Americas are introduced here in a compare-and-contrast, scattershot approach. Small, sparkling, full-color captioned photographs of cities, pottery, jewelry, and clothing accompany one-paragraph texts on such general topics (treated on two pages each) as farming, hunting and fishing, family life, and more. Photos of the Mexican National Archeological Museum's re-creations of scenes of daily life are used to depict such ancient activities as trade, tribute, and medicine. Illustrations from the pages of the Mayan codices are reproduced throughout, but there is no explanation of their significance until page 40, or of what the conquering Spaniards did with them. Although the pictures are bright, clear, and attention grabbing, the text is just random facts scattered across the pages. These majestic cultures are done a disservice by this weightless flitting from topic to topic.-Frances E. Millhouser, Reston Regional Library, VA