If the World Were a Village

Title: If the World Were a Village
Author: David Smith
Category: Non-Fiction

Topic: World Geography
Grade Level: 3 - 8
This is a picture book that would work as a read aloud in any of these grades - I'm sure my fellow middle school teachers would agree that their students still like "storytime."
Rating by: Ann B.
 
Content: This book does the following...

• Explains the topic in a clear and logical way
• Focuses on the parts of the topic that are most important.
• Prompts student to want to find out even more about a topic.
• Makes the content relevant to the students’ lives.
• Prompts students to reflect on their own lives and choices.

Effectiveness as a Learning Tool: This book includes the following...

• Visuals that help break up chunks of text.

Readability?

• Appropriate for everyone in class - even the most reluctant readers can learn from it. 

Age Appropriate Content?

• Just Right

Comment from Ann B.:
I read this book to seventh graders and its statistics on the hunger in this world inspired them to launch a fundraiser for Heifer International.  This student-led initiative raised over $1,000 - that's a lot of goats! And it was all because this book helped them put things in perspective.

Amazon's Product Description:
"There are currently more than six billion people on the planet! This enormous number can be difficult to grasp, especially for a child. But what if we imagine the whole world as a village of just 100 people? In this village * 22 people speak a Chinese dialect * 20 earn less than a dollar a day * 32 are of Christian faith * 17 cannot read or write * 39 are under 19 years old In a time when parents and educators are looking to help children gain a better understanding of the world's peoples and their ways of life, If the World Were a Village offers a unique and objective resource. By exploring the lives of the 100 villagers, children will discover that life in other nations is often very different from their own. The shrunk-down statistics -- some surprising, some shocking -- and David Smith's tips on building "world-mindedness" will encourage readers to embrace the bigger picture and help them to establish their own place in the global village." 

Link to reviews on Amazon
Link to the website of the author: David Smith
Buy it from your local bookstore via Indie Bound