How I Learned Geography

How I Learned Geography	Farrar Straus Grioux
Written and Illustrated by Uri Shulevitz	2008
Fiction	32 pages
Reading Level age 5-8	Caldecott Honor Book

Summary

A family of three fled their country because of war. They had nothing as they ran. They found another city, where it was hot and the houses were all brown and made of straw. They had to share a place with a couple who had food to eat, but did not share. The father went to the market to buy a loaf of bread. Instead of returning with the envious bread, he came walking home as it was growing dark. He was carrying as large roll of paper. He had bought a map. That night the couple seemed to be eating their food much louder than the night before. The little boy watched his father nail the map to the wall the next morning. The boy became captivated with the map and all the many places it showed. He traveled to freezing mountain tops, burning sands, cool ocean shores, mighty temples and ornate palaces. He sang the names of the distant places as a poem. He forgot his gnawing hunger all the hours he spent pouring over the map and touring the world with the imagination of my mind.

Response

I loved the book. I thought it was a great introduction to learning and using my imagination to dream of places that I’d never been before. As I looked at the pictures, I tried to think of places that the images were of. The pictures were vivid and colorful. The detail was intricate and focused on the emotion of the drawings. I could feel his absorption and joy was he traveled to all the different places while still on the dirt floor of his abode.

Potential Problems

It talks of hunger and how he escaped to the far reaches of his mind to not think of it day in and out. This might be upsetting to younger children or those who are sensitive.

Recommendation

I would recommend this to those who love to travel and learn more about the world. I think those who moved recently might benefit from reading this.