Grade 4-6–This updated survey is attractively designed and filled with eye-catching photos, maps, and graphs. Chapters are devoted to geography, history, people, government, economy, and landmarks. The text gives an evenhanded overview of controversial issues and challenges facing Alaska, such as the need to diversify the economy, as well as basic information. Thirty pages of back matter include fun facts, a calendar of celebrations, famous people, places to visit, and an annotated list of Web sites. Tables are informative, but a bar graph of the largest cities makes an ineffective visual since Anchorage is nearly 10 times the size of the next largest city. The Places to See map lacks a key to the symbols that mark it. Overall, though, this current and comprehensive title makes a useful addition to most collections.
