Russia

My teen-aged son is fascinated by all things Russian. I wanted to get him a book that wasn't too little kiddie but also one that wasn't a slog to read through. This book is a children's book but it has lots of pictures and enough information to keep a teen or adult interested. My son has several books in the Eyewitness series and they're consistently good books. Eyewitness Russia is no exception.

A few years ago, my father came home from a trip to Russia, he brought some matroyoshka nesting dolls and a gold toned porcelain hand painted serving dish. Now that one of my best friends is living in Russia, I was even more interested in seeing what her new world looks like. As the largest country in the world, there is so much to see although I would not mind heading over there to see a Siberian tiger! You will love the pictures of the ice festival in which the winter is enlivened with sculptures carved out of ice. There is also some interesting history to the story. This is a journey from Early Russia to the New Russia. While this book is written for children, adults will find it very interesting for the historical details alone. Educational!

If you are afraid that you need to read War and Peace to learn about Russia, fear not. Russia (Eyewitness Books) succinctly and beautifully illustrates the life and people of Russia. The content is a bit deep for the audience of 9 to 12 year olds. But there is something here for lovers of things Russian of any age.