Oceania

This title introduces readers to the region of Oceania. Concise text, thought-provoking discussion questions, and compelling photos give the reader an insightful look into Oceania’s rich and complex histories, natural environments, economies, governments, and peoples.

Booklist

Covering the enormous region that includes Australia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, this entry in the World Studies series (8 titles) is necessarily broad but offers important details and compelling, browsable tidbits. London focuses on the human aspects of life in Oceania, especially Indigenous groups, mentioning the destructiveness of colonial violence and disease but sparing young readers the details. After a general introduction, chapters cover history, geography and climate, wildlife, government and politics, and people and culture, with inviting full-color stock images provided throughout. A “Culture Profile” and “Landmark Profile” cover the Māori language and the Great Barrier Reef, respectively. Indigenous history and ways in Australia and New Zealand are not widely detailed elsewhere for children, and small Oceanian nations are even less commonly covered, making this a boost to library shelves. — Henrietta Verma

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