Editorial Review

This title, another in a seemingly countless series of books on modern Greece, has several strong points. Basic information is presented in a straightforward manner in two-page chapters and accompanied by excellent photos. Facts are clear, and important topics are covered, with the exception of ancient Greece, which is relegated to a few sentences under the chapter ‘Long Ago’ and ‘Greece Trivia’ at the back of the book. (No mention is made of the fact that Greece is considered the world’s first democracy.) The clean layout features large print and plenty of white space. Captions for the pictures are found on bright postage-stamp shapes. The first spread, ‘Where is Greece?’ offers two small globes, showing the eastern and western hemispheres, a small map of the world, and a full-page physical map of Greece (with no labels). However, later spreads include tiny two-inch maps marking the cities and areas discussed in those chapters. The pronunciation guide has a few mistakes. Children are also directed to the publisher’s Web site, which has links to reliable sources, although much of the information at these sites is for an older audience. Collections needing country studies at the basic level might find that this title fits the bill.