India

This book intended for young people is an excellent introduction to not only the geography of India, but to the peoples of India, their histories and cultures. The first thing that impressed me was the large fonts and bright illustrations and photographs. Each two-page spread focuses on one aspect of India such as geography, ancient migrations, religion, urban living, families, languages and dialects, and Bollywood. The authors invite readers to learn a little Hindi and how to greet others with the "namaste." There is a great list of Hindi words with pronunciation guide for family members, e.g., mother, father, aunt, sister, etc. Every two-page spread has a box focusing on one aspect of the page's content such as a recipe for chapati on the page concerning food. A glossary, pronunciation guide and a list of further reading are included at the end of the book. This is one of the better geography books aimed at young people with its lively writing and wide assortment of subjects.