Passport to Paris. (Crabtree Connections). Alison Gardner. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2011. 24 pp., pbk. & hc., $7.95 (pbk.), $18.36 (RLB.). ISBN 978-0-7787-9977-1 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-7787-9955-9 (RLB.). Subject Headings: Paris (France)-Juvenile literature. Paris (France)-Guidebooks-Juvenile literature. Grades 2-4 / Ages 7-9. Review by Kim Skarra. *** /4

excerpt:

The most well-known tourist attraction in Paris is the Eiffel Tower. It was finished in 1889 and was built to celebrate the anniversary of the French Revolution. From the top of the Eiffel Tower you can see the city has been carefully planned. Wide, straight roads link large squares together.

Passport to Paris teaches readers all about Paris and what it is like to live in this vibrant city. The book has an easy-to-read format consisting of two page chapters. It has many fun-filled facts about life in Paris, such as the type of dwellings in which people live, how people get around, and several points of interest to see when readers are there, places such as the Louvre or Disneyland Paris.

      The many colourful photographs mixed amongst the text throughout the book make it visually appealing. It also contains many "Did you know?" caption boxes containing interesting bits of information, including the facts that "It only takes about two hours to walk across Paris" or "The Eiffel Tower has 1,665 steps and 20,000 light bulbs!" A young boy named Jean-Paul is featured in the book as the readers' very own tour guide.

      Passport to Paris uses bold typeface to highlight any words the readers may not know, and these words can be easily located in the glossary at the back of the book. The volume also contains an index and a "Further Information" section listing websites and books about the city.

      Passport to Paris will leave readers wanting to pack their bags and move to Paris or, at the very least, have a Parisian vacation.

Recommended.

Kim Skarra is a school librarian at Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Elementary School in Calgary, AB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

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Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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