If You Were Me and Lived In... Brazil by Carole P. Roman

If You Were Me and Lived In... Brazil,  in  the Carole P. Roman's "A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around The World"  series introduces the young student to the country and culture of Brazil. The art contained in this newest book about Brazil is the most impressive yet- without a doubt each book in this series promises the reader new surprises each time.

The mixed media cartoon art combined with beautiful
scenic photos bring Brazil to life in an entirely new way for the elementary aged reader.   As with the other books in this series- that art continues to be offer new surprises  with the  variety of textures and mixed media in producing the illustrations.

When reading about Brazil, the photograph of the modern  yet majestic city of Brasilia jumps out at the reader, against the backdrop against a clear  blue sky and mountains in the distance.  There is a beautiful areal view of the popular landmarks, statuary  and tropical scenic views.  There is a view of a racetrack from the Brazilian Grand Prix and colorful parades. The beautiful marble ground and other authentic  details and textures add appeal and beauty to the simplistic cartoon scenes. The glossy pages contain vibrant scenes featuring animated cartoon guides.

 The cartoon tour guides will certainly capture the attention of all young readers as well as parents and educators. I believe the "Carlesque" styled mixed media illustrations with the simple line cartoons in her   books are  an unexpected treat.  Mixed media illustrations are very popular and appealing for young readers as evidenced by the popularity of Eric Carle's kids' books.  By combining geography with mixed media- I believe that Roman will generate even greater interest and attention for her educational series. This sets her books apart from cartoon only illustrations.

These stories would also be a good choice for a family that is interested in their ancestry, a family vacation or even appropriate for  children as part of a social studies lesson. The consistency of these geography books makes this series perfect for the school setting. An educator can count on the fact that young children will be introduced to the basics.  The predictability of the book's format will also appeal to younger readers who are familiar with the series.  In each  addition to the series,  the  child will learn about the geography  and will be  introduced to its climate, tourist attractions local foods,  sports and other social norms. Full color, simply drawn cartoon drawings with the unique  texture accents compliment the text.   The pronunciations at the end of the book introduces the child to the language.

  It would be great to see this series used as part of a grade school geography or social studies curriculum.  It is clear that each book, though simple in design, presents a wealth of information and research.   This book as well as the other books in the series is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. As a blogger I received this books for the purpose of writing this review.