Tokyo

October 1, 2023
Grades K-3 "Welcome to the biggest city in the world!" This beginning reader in the Cities through Time series (4 titles) gives a brief history of Japan's most famous city. Double-page spreads with a few sentences, labeled sight words, and vibrant, geometric scenes spotlight significant time periods, events, and individuals. Beginning before the 1400s when fishing villages and a Buddhist temple dot the land, the book continues with Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu's rule in 1603, Japan's emperor renaming the city Tokyo in 1868, WWII raids in 1945, the 1964 Olympics (for which Tokyo's bullet train and monorail were constructed), and a look at today's modern city with its mix of tradition and technology. Blastoff Jimmy, a rocket-propelled boy, serves as a guide and interjects related facts. A concluding time line recaps the historical spreads.

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November 1, 2023

K-Gr 3-Blastoff Jimmy leads readers on a mission to learn about famous cities around the world. Mission goals at the beginning of the book set a purpose for reading, like learning about different periods in history and groups that have lived in the city being discussed. Brightly colored illustrations show people, art and architecture, and other iconic images of the city. Short paragraphs cover highlights of major time periods in the city's history such as the fall of Tenochtitl�n or the reign of Emperor Augustus. Glossary terms are bolded within the text and may also appear as labels in the illustrations. Back matter includes a time line, a world map with the city's location circled, reflection questions, an activity to extend learning, and suggestions for further reading. The Factsurfer website offers additional resources. VERDICT A useful series for primary grades comparing past and present.

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