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

If You Were Me and Lived In... Poland,  in  the Carole P. Roman's "A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around The World"  series introduces elementary and middle school students to the country and culture of Poland. The art contained in this newest book about Poland is a combination of mixed media- colorful cartoons superimposed with beautiful, full color, picturesque photography.  Without a doubt,  each book in the "A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around The World" series promises the reader new surprises each time.



When reading about Poland, the photograph of the modern metropolis of Warsaw jumps out at the reader, against the backdrop against a clear  blue sky and skyscrapers in the distance from an illustrated bridge accent.  There is a beautiful areal view of the popular landmarks, cobblestone roads, local markets and salt mines views.  There is a view of a beautiful snowy mountain with a cartoon family having winter fun.  Other authentic  details and textures add appeal and beauty to the simplistic cartoon scenes.

 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  students 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.  The indepth detail will appeal to the older middle school students as well. 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 student 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.