Vanishing Cultures: Down Under

By Jan Reynolds
Paperback: $10.95

In this series of seven books, photojournalist Jan Reynolds documents the distinctive cultures and climates of indigenous peoples.

Description

Amprenula, a young Tiwi girl from an island off the Australian coast, gathers food with her mother. Amprenula lives closely with the land, just as her people have done for thousands of years, taking only what they need from the forest and the ocean around them.

For the Tiwi and other Aborigines, the land is sacred. It connects them with their ancestors and the beginning of creation. As Amprenula combs through the forests and mangrove swamps, she is proud to travel along the same paths, sharing the same land, as her ancestors from centuries ago.

About the Creators

Jan Reynolds

Jan Reynolds is an award-winning author and photographer whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including National Geographic, The New York Times, and Outside magazine. All seven books in her Vanishing Cultures series of photo-essays for children were recognized as Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, and she is also the author of Celebrate! Connections Among Cultures; Only the Mountains Do Not Move, and The Lion Queens of India. Reynolds holds the world record for women's high altitude skiing, was part of the first expedition to circumnavigate Mount Everest, and performed a solo crossing of the Himalayas. She lives with her family in Stowe, Vermont. Please visit her on the web at janreynolds.com.

Awards

  • Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People

    National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)

Reviews

  • "Sensitive photography captures the beauty of these harsh landscapes as well as the dignity and humanity of these people."

    - Publishers Weekly
  • "What is important about. . . the Vanishing Cultures series is Jan Reynold's sincere sense of the majesty of the [world's] peoples. By sharing an empathetic and unsentimental glimpse of them, she gives us all a great gift."

    - The New York Times
  • "[T]he full-color photographs have postcard beauty, while others are almost surrealistic; all are outstanding."

    - School Library Journal
  • "Clear color photographs and informative, interestingly written narrative reflect the insight only first-hand experience can provide."

    - Children's Literature

Paperback

  • ISBN 9781600601262
  • Price $10.95
  • Publication Date Apr 01, 2007
  • Trim Size 8.5 × 11 in
  • Weight 0.375 lbs
  • Page Count 32
  • Hardcover

  • ISBN 9781600601415
  • Price $16.95
  • Publication Date Apr 01, 2007
  • Trim Size 8.5 × 11 in
  • Weight 1 lbs
  • Page Count 32
  • Interests

  • Imprint Lee & Low Books
  • Audience Children
  • BISAC Category 1 JNF / Travel
  • BISAC Category 2 JNF / People & Places / Australia & Oceania
  • BISAC Category 3 JNF / Photography
  • Themes Asian / Asian American / AAPI, Childhood Experiences and Memories, Comparing / Classifying / Measuring, Cultural Diversity, Empathy / Compassion, Environment / Nature, Exploring Ecosystems, Families, Holidays / Traditions, Home, Human Impact On Environment / Environmental Sustainability, Informational / Expository Nonfiction, Multiple Ethnicities Represented, Nature / Science, Nonfiction, Photographic Illustrations, Pride, Responsibility, Similarities and Differences
  • Reading Levels

  • Age Range Ages 5 - 11
  • Grade Range Grades K - 6
  • Guided Reading U
  • DRA 44
  • Lexile Level 740
  • Lexile Measurement 740L
  • Reading Level Grades 2 - 3
  • SRC 4.9
  • Bebop Reading Fluent
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