New Zealand (Voices from Around the World: Pacific Islands)

Gr 4-6--This series centers the rich and diverse Pacific Islands. Starting with a table of contents each title has four chapters of varying lengths. Readers are welcomed first in the language native to the island country and given a pronunciation guide. Multiple paragraphs of text are accompanied by infographics, art and photos on the backdrop of designed pages. Important boxes of information appear throughout the text and highlight facts, such as "In villages, a conch shell is blown each evening at sunset. This lets people know it is time for family prayers" (Samoa), important objects and symbols in the culture, famous people, and how to respectfully visit the area. The back matter includes a native language glossary, English glossary, more reading suggestions, and index. The series is a fantastic example of using authors from the area and consultants who are descendants and raised in the culture to make sure the country is described and represented correctly. VERDICT A great series that explores the countries and culture of the Pacific Islands.