Education comes in many forms and isn’t just about the core subjects of English, maths and science. For a well-rounded education, children need to learn lots of other subjects as well including learning about other countries and cultures from around the world. The award-winning children’s author, Carole P. Roman has written a fun series of educational picture books that takes a look a just that, giving a child’s introduction to cultures around the world. The If You We Me and Lived In … series makes learning about world cultures much more interesting and accessible for kids. Did you know that Germany is the most populated member of the European Union (EU)?
For this review, we are going to heading off into Europe to visit Germany with If You Were Me and Lived in… Germany.
In If You Were Me and Lived in… Germany, young readers will learn a brief introduction into Germany and its cultures and customs. It is told through the eyes of a young child, telling their experience to another child (you the reader that is), but not as a stuffy textbook delivering the facts in a cold hard way but as two children talking to each other.
It is a very informative book, giving brief information about Germany, its people and culture. The reader will learn about Germany’s varied customs and cultures, learn about its cities and towns, why and where Berlin was built in the northeastern part of the country, and why Berlin (the capital city, was and still is, a very important city).
You will also learn fun facts about popular German children’s names, what they eat, their currency, sport, and even famous tourist attractions – did you know that it is believed that the famous castle in the Disneyland theme park was inspired by Germany’s Neuschwanstein Castle in the Bavarian mountains?
As you travel around Germany with your child guide from your chair in the comfort of your own home, or even your school classroom, you will obviously come across German words. Young readers might find these difficult to read or pronounce. Carole P. Roman has addressed this and next to each unfamiliar word, in brackets is the word broken down into child-friendly pronunciations (for example, Germany is Ger-man-nee and Deutschland is Doytch-lawnd).
As you work your way through the book, young readers will also be asked if they can work out what certain German words in the context of the story might be (tip: the beautiful illustrations will help).
At the end of the book is a very handy glossary of German names and terms used within the book with brief descriptions and pronunciations. Not only can children learn German words and their meaning but learn how to pronounce them (such as Munich is pronounced Mun-chen not Mew-nick).
Overall, If You Were Me and Lived in… Germany is a very informative book that delivers some brief but interesting facts about the country, language and culture. It is a springboard to learning more about a country that you might have relative in, want to visit or just want to know more about.
It is an excellent book to spark a child’s interest in another country, their culture and traditions, showing how they might be different but also the same. The information is delivered in a very child-friendly way and the beautiful illustrations by Kelsea Wierenga are well-drawn in a unique way that deliver just as much information as the text.
A factual, fun and enjoyable educational picture book.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £8.99 (Paperback)
For more information, visit www.caroleproman.com. Available to buy from Amazon here.