Countries: Mack's World of Wonder

K-Gr 2—Global awareness will be inspired in young readers, who will delight in taking this unticketed journey around the world. Realistic photos cleverly mixed with animated graphics depict national costumes, indigenous animals, and distinctive architecture. A brief overview of highlighted countries from six continents further paints an inviting picture, underlining traditions and cultural aspects of each domain. Cute interactive segments with cartoon-style illustrations help tie information together and firmly hold readers' interest; for instance, a picture of a camel is accompanied by the question "Which animal is standing in the sandstorm?" Occasionally, generalizations border on stereotypes; for example, the sentence "Mexicans love music and good food" is accompanied by a picture of a man sporting a sombrero and a poncho.