FROM THE CRITICS

Children's Literature - Karen Leggett

"Bahrain is the place to go in the Persian Gulf region when you want to attend a rock concern, an opera or a ballet!" Conservative Saudis call Bahrain a "touch of America," yet it is still a country where women wear skirts to their ankles and may even be fully veiled. There are signs of prehistoric civilizations in this island nation yet today it boasts a thriving modern skyline. The book is sprinkled with intriguing, eye-catching photos and interesting text that flows easily. It is one of the few books about the Middle East that notes that most of the rest of the world￯﾿ﾽespecially the Middle East￯﾿ﾽrefers to the Persian Gulf as the Arabian Sea. Bahraini wealth comes from pearls and oil, but unlike many other oil-rich countries, Bahrain diversified early. As an important defense partner of the United States, Bahrain is worthy of study by American students. This book is an excellent introduction. Because of its size and organization, it looks like a middle school book but the reading level is more appropriate to high school. There is plenty to discuss and individual chapters may be read independently. The chronology and index are thorough so it is useful for reference and student reports. There is a geographer consultant for the entire series and each title is written by a geographer or area expert. The "Modern World Nations" series includes titles on nearly two-dozen countries from Georgia and Germany to Bahrain, Bermuda and Cuba. 2003, Chelsea House,

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