If You Were Me & Lived in... Brazil & If You Were Me & Lived in... The American West by Carole P. Roman [Review & Giveaway]

The author continues her tried and true series of books written from the perspective of a 12-year-old living in the featured country or specific historical period and country. There are two distinct series yet they follow basically the same formula of the child experiencing life in the country and/or time period.

If You Were Me and Lived in . . . Brazil

ISBN: 9781532877988
Paperback $10.99
32 pages

About the book: Visit the stunning and diverse land of Brazil in the newest book of the informative "If You Were Me and Lived In...." series. Learn about the varied customs and cultures. Travel to South America to discover what you would eat and do for fun. See the land through the eyes of a youngster like you and understand what life is like in this exciting place.

My thoughts: Flipping the pages of Roman's new introduction to cultures book about Brazil will take the child on a fun trip with a 12 year old at the helm. The illustrations show features unique to Brazil - Christ the Redeemer statue atop a mountain, Brazilian Carnival (much like Mardi Gras in New Orleans), and the Amazon Rain Forest.

Discovering what Brazilians name their children, how they shop, foods they eat, attend school, watch sports, and play games is much like the reader's own life. The illustrations depict smiling and happy people with beautiful dark skin and lavish curly hair.

Roman again provides a Pronunciation Guide with short definitions at the end of the book.

This respected and loved series now covers the globe with featured countries enabling armchair journeys for children. These make good additional reading for social studies and geography studies.

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If You Were Me and Lived in the American West

ISBN: 9781532877841
Paperback $14.99
Pages 58

About the book: In Carole P. Roman's new history series, young readers travel through time to visit the most interesting civilizations throughout history in the first four books of her new series: Ancient Greece, Renaissance Italy, Viking Europe, Ancient China - and now in the American West. Learn what kind of food you might eat, the clothes you wore, what your name could be, and what children did for fun. If You Were Me and Lived in... does for history what her other award-winning series did for culture. So get on-board this time-travel machine and discover the world through the eyes of a young person just like you.

My thoughts: What Roman's cultural series has done for studying and learning about how people live in various countries, the new series touches on history and the cultural aspect of living in each of these specific time periods. In The American West book, the reader journeys aboard a wagon train in the mid 1800s with the westward migration from the eastern portion of the United States. The reader will discover this unique life event, walking vast distances, and learning how they managed to carry the items for survival needed for the journey and also for the life they would begin once they reach their destination.

Roman writes of peaceful encounters with the Native Americans along the way. I found this interesting as most accounts of wagon trains and the journey westward relate hostile actions on both sides - Native Americans and migrating settlers.

As with each book in both the cultural and historical series, daily life and relationships are a major part of the book. The glossary at the back of the book with words specific for the story defined can add instructional value to the book. Also, the two pages of short bios of famous people of the time period is especially nice.

The American West is a nice addition to a classroom or home library.

GIVEAWAY

2 winners each receive 1 copy of each book

Begins October 10

ENDS October 31 @ 12:02 a.m. ET

Open to USA addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway 
I received complimentary copies from the author to facilitate a review of my own opinions. Giveaway copies are provided by the author and sent directly to the winner by the author.