Maps and Geography

Gr 5–8—Jeopardy legend Jennings scores a win with this title in his new middle grade nonfiction series. Chapters are divided up into parts of the school day ("First Period," "Recess," "Lunch," etc.), and though each is fairly long and covers a great deal of material, the book moves quickly because of the conversational writing style, bits of trivia thrown in among paragraphs, and humorous drawings. Lowery's sketches are a big selling point; the silly tone they evoke matches the lightheartedness of the text perfectly. One of the strengths of this book is that Jennings is able to sneak in important geography concepts through what will feel like a series of interesting facts. For instance, when he discusses the Dead Sea, readers may be surprised to learn not only that it is not the saltiest body of water in the world but also that there is enough gold in the ocean to give every person on earth five pounds of it, if it could be extracted. The book concludes with a fun final exam that would be an excellent and inconspicuous way to test reading comprehension, as well as some suggestions for how to keep learning about maps and geography in real life. A great addition to middle grade libraries, both school and public.—Trina Bolfing, Westbank Libraries, Austin, TX