Though the opening lines are ungrammatical and uninspiring ("Big or small. Flat or tall"), this book ultimately provides an adequate overview of dwelling places around the world. Vibrant large-scale photographs depict the homes within the context of their appropriate climates; world maps show each home's geographical location. A little more informative text on each page would have gone a long way. Reading list. Glos., ind.

PreS-Gr 2-These books support the social-studies curriculum, but the scope is limited and the writing is dry. They offer a series of two-page chapters: a full-page color photograph opposite one or two simple sentences. A world map indicates the particular continent and pinpoints the location within it of each home or family. The name of the country is in a box below the map. In the first title, families in Guatemala, the U.S., New Zealand, China, and a few other countries are shown celebrating a birthday, sharing a meal, having fun together, and more. The book ends by asking readers, "How does your family have fun?" Homes follows a similar pattern, with pictures of huts, stilt houses, apartment buildings, etc.; it closes with the question, "What's your home like?" Both titles would be appropriate for introducing and beginning discussions on similarities among cultures, but readers will have to go elsewhere for more depth.-Margaret R. Tassia, Millersville University, PA Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.