Summary:

This book is a great reference material about Cuba. It takes the reader from where Cuba is located all the way through its cultural background. Cuba is located on the Caribbean Sea south of France. It is one large island with smaller islands around it. The weather is warn, which allows the people to dress in cooler clothing. There are several concepts to the geography of Cuba. There are flat plains for farming, beaches and coral reefs, and mountains with forests. The capital of Cuba is Havana although the main tourist attraction is actually a cathedral in Santeago deCuba, which is the second largest city in the country. Most of the population live in the cities. The food of the country is based upon white rice, black beans, fruit, chicken, and yucca. They have special festivals where the men dress in all white and the women wear colorful ruffled dresses. The majority of the people of Cuba either work in factories or are farmers. The main farming crops are: sugar cane, tobacco, and fruit. Transportation is rarely by car. More often, people either take the bus or ride bicycles. In the country, most people walk. Spanish is the national language and baseball is the national pastime. Children go to school from the ages of 5-14 but are expected to work as well as attend school. Music is greatly appreciated in Cuba. The music has African and Spanish roots and is played on: guitars, drums, and gourds.

Personal Response:

I found this book very well written and organized. I think that it would be a great source for researching Cuba, and that it would be easily read and understood by students based around the 2nd to 3rd grade levels. It would be too difficult for early readers and possibly too simplistic for older students. I would definitely love to have this book, as well as any others written for this series, for my classroom.

Classroom Extensions:

Read and present Cuba a country.

Have a festival in the classroom. Have the male students dress all in white and the girls dress in colorful dresses. Prepare and eat the cuban foods that are most popular. And listen to and dance to Cuban music.

Research the possibility of getting in touch with a Cuban school and "adopt" a class with them. Be able to learn about each others countries face to face. ( )