The Encyclopedia of the Ancient Americas
Jim Green, Fiona Macdonald, Philip Steele, and Michael Stotter
Southwater
Nonfiction, CH? Cultures/History
Themes: Diversity, Encyclopedias
***+
Description
From the frozen Arctic tundra to the lush jungles of the Amazon, the Americas have a rich and varied history, often overlooked in this European-dominated modern society. This large book examines many of the New World's cultures, their traditions and everyday lifestyles, with many illustrations and art projects you can make yourself.
Review
I found this one at Half Price Books, and certainly got that much out of it. For a book aimed at young people, this is a fairly good volume, covering often-overlooked cultures about which much has been lost or deliberately destroyed. Much of the information in this is new to me, and it is presented in a manner that, while shallow and jumpy, was easy to absorb. Personally, I wanted more actual information and less of the dippy arts and crafts, but I suppose that's what I get for buying a children's encyclopedia. This is a good way to introduce New World cultures to kids, not to mention adults who haven't read too much on them (as most of the grown-up stuff is rather dry and heavy reading), but still find them fascinating.