Keith Lye

Eye candy. Beautiful and unusual maps. Unfortunately more a coffee table book than a real atlas.

With full-color maps in a spectacular three-dimensional rendering, the Atlas in the Round series offers an amazing perspective on Earth Studies and Natural Science. An extraordinary three-dimensional look at the world as it appears from above, ATLAS IN THE ROUND offers the ideal global view for all children of the 20th and 21st centuries. Developed by the team that created the award-winning "Mountain High Maps" for international television newscasts, this stunning volume depicts the countries of the world in a unique global context. Thematic pages detail population patterns, weather systems, volcanic regions, and more. With more than 120 full-color photographs, nineteen regional maps, and special emphasis on high-interest areas of the globe.… (mais)

This atlas provides a good introduction to the use of an atlas using a comic strip to help students visualize what maps represent. The atlas introduces each of 15 regions of the world showing where the region is situated on a world map, a political map and geographical map. A brief introduction to each region includes descriptions of the people, history, and government and subsections include vegetation and animals, economic endeavours, the people, the major cities and travel through the region.

Illustrations and photographs are used throughout to provide a visual context and the maps for vegetation and economic activity were very easy to read due to the colourful cartoonish legends. The strength of this reference resource is definitely in its use of visuals and the repetitive aspects of each section, leading the young reader to expect what will come next. The text is simple, yet there is quite a bit, more white space would have improved the atlas, but overall it is a good resource for a school library.… (mais)