Card catalog description
An overview of Malaysia that includes information on geography, history, government, language, culture, and current issues.
Malaysia FROM THE PUBLISHER
Located in Southeast Asia, Malaysia has some of the largest and most spectacular limestone caves and some of the oldest rain forests in the world. Once a British colony, the country has developed into an important economic hub and is now the world's largest producer of rubber and palm oil. From the imposing Petronas Towers, the tallest building in the world, to the traditional longhouse, from the indigenous people of East Malaysia to the city dwellers of Kuala Lumpur, and from the talents of P. Ramlee to sepak takraw, this book introduces a nation forging ahead to a bright future.
FROM THE CRITICS
Children's Literature - Barbara Carroll Roberts
This is a fairly thorough overview of Malaysia for middle-grade children, but it is not particularly well written or well organized. The lack of maps at the beginning of the book is a real problem, particularly since the first chapter deals with geography. It is doubtful that many U.S. school children will be able to mentally place the country simply by being told that part of it lies between Thailand and Singapore and the other part is on the island of Borneo. Readers are simply left to puzzle over the difference between "Peninsular Malaysia" and "East Malaysia." This propensity to dive into the details without providing the big picture continues throughout the book. The writing itself is wordy and stilted. For example, "Malay cooking involves the use of large amount of herbs and spices to create spicy dishes, which are always full of flavor." What's wrong with "Malay cooking is spicy and flavorful?" The one bright spot is the photographs that accompany the text. Big, sharp and filled with Malaysia's bold colors, they offer welcome relief from the text. This book is one of the "Countries of the World" series. 2003, Gareth Stevens Publishing/World Almanac,
Art & Photography
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