JUNIOR WORLDMARK ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE NATIONS

Gr 6 Up—Introductory material in this guide to 196 nations includes a full-color image of the coat of arms of each one and a guide to the articles. Entries detail general information such as the country's capital and currency, followed by 35 clearly delineated subcategories that discuss environment, religions, history, judicial systems, labor, foreign trade, education, and famous people, among other topics, allowing easy comparisons. A geographic profile, map, biographical profile of a government leader, and color photographs are also included for each country, as are key economic indicators in comparison to other nations, including the United States. Each section concludes with a bibliography and websites, and the endpapers display the flags of the countries detailed in the volume. This valuable source will be a boon to geography research and instruction and can be tied to different curriculums such as science lessons focusing on plants and animals or energy and power sources.—Beth McGuire Hempfield Area School District, Greensburg , PA