Madagascar

“Book Review From the Blastoff! Readers Level 5 Fluent Exploring Countries series, this nonfiction book is encouraging students to read about the country of Madagascar – “reading to learn” rather than “learning to read” – so they are assumed to be proficient readers. There are maps, photos, a pie chart of where people live (city versus country), a translation of key words in the official language of Malagasy, fun facts, and much more text than in prior levels.

This book includes a table of contents, fast facts (which includes a photo of the official flag and the currency of the country), a “To Learn More” section, and an index. In the “To Learn More” section, there were 3 web sites that showed up when I entered “Madagascar” into www.factsurfer.com and the best one seemed to be the last one, at least based on the ratings. A lot more information on endemic species and good pictures! I am excited to have this book in our nonfiction collection." “Beautifully illustrated pages provide readers with encyclopedic information about different countries. The pages are filled with facts and tidbits. While the illustrations provide some textual support, descriptions of geography or animals unique to the particular country contain information beyond what is represented by the maps or photos. This may leave the reader struggling for understanding or curious for more information. Vocabulary words are in bold type and require the use of the brief glossary should the reader be unfamiliar with them. Charts and graphs convey information about the people and languages spoken. Descriptions of common foods and popular dishes are shared. Bibliography. Glossary. Websites.”