If You Were Me and Lived in..China: A Child's Introduction to Culture Around the World, by Carole P. Roman

Title: If You Were Me and Lived in...China ~ A Child's Introduction to Culture Around the World

Series: If You Were Me and Lived in...

Author: Carole P. Roman

Illustrator: Kelsea Wierenga

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing

Date: May 14, 2015

Paperback: 30 pages




My Take
I really like this, If You Were Me and Lived in..., series. I think it is the most created line of books that were ever created for children. To have them be able to "travel" from country to country through a book is an awesome way for them to learn. These books are packed with a lot of information. I will honestly say that I have learn quit a bit, from reading these with my child.

If You Were Me and Lived in...China shows a boy and a girl pointing to a world where you would be able to find china on a globe. Inside you will find an outline of China with a star where the capital of China, Beijing, is located. Then, begins the journey into China and all that it offers.

Your child will first lean about the history of China and how it received its name. They will also learn about the vegetation and the amount of people that reside there. Next, they will learn about Beijing and all its glory. From its expressways to its gardens and even the Forbidden City. You will learn about the names of family members, some names of toys, and the currency that is used. I thought the part of history and the giant terracotta was interesting as my daughter just learned about that this year in school. Up next is food, games and holidays, most importantly, the Chinese New Year.

What I like most about these books, besides the wonderful information, is the colourful pages. Also I like how there are one or two pages that have real life pictures mixed with cartoon pictures. I think this gives the reader a really good feel for how something might actually look over there. The pronunciation guide is a nice thing to have in the book too. My daughter has picked up a couple of words from different countries by reading these books. That is always a good thing.

So, if you haven't already heard of this series, which I am sure you have, you need to start purchasing them to have for you child's collection.

About the Author

Award winning author Carole P. Roman is a former teacher turned businesswomen. She has successfully run a family business with her husband. Her most favorite job is being grandmother to her many grandchildren. She currently lives on Long Island with her husband.

Her first book, "Captain No Beard - An Imaginary tale of a Pirate's Life" has been named to Kirkus Reviews' Best of 2012 as well garnered the star of remarkable merit. Three more Captain No Beard books are in the works. Also available, "I Want To Do Yoga Too," a children's introduction to yoga.

If You Were Me and Lived in... Peru: A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around the World, by Carole P. Roman

Title: If You Were Me and Lived in... Peru: A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around the World

Series: If You Were Me

Author: Carole P. Roman

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Date: October 14, 2014

Paperback: 30 pages


About the Book
An exciting introduction to world cultures written for young readers ages three through eight, this new expedition takes kids to South America and gives them a colorful glimpse into what living in Peru is like. Highlighting a myriad of topics, including language, cuisine, climate, and history, this book teaches kids about diversity while also revealing to them the important truth that we are all connected.


My Take
As always, she has created another amazing book for children to learn about a new culture. The way she tells her stories keeps them coming back for each book that she brings out. The cartoon characters and colours are also another amazing thing about these books.

At the beginning of the book, you see where Peru is located on the globe and you also learn/see where the capital, Lima, is located. You and your children will learn the different names of some of the people in Peru, see all the colourful things they were and have. You will learn about the famous places, foods they eat (cuy, which is fried guinea pig), games they play and holidays they celebrate (Carnival in February).

When you get to the end of the book, you will find a pronunciation guide, which is reiterating all the new words that you and your child learned while reading the book.

I love this series and think that everyone should have them in their homes and feel as though all schools should carry them too. I know my daughter has learned from every single one she has read.


About the Author

Carole P. Roman is the award-winning author of the much lauded children's book Captain No Beard: An Imaginary tale of a Pirate's Life. her experience as a former social studies teacher is wonderfully apparent in her popular If You Were Me and Lived in... series, which now includes more than ten books.

This complimentary book was given to me by Bostick Communications and the author for a honest review.

If You Were Me and Lived in...Greece, by Carole P. Roman

Title: If You Were Me and Lived in...Greece

Series: A Child's Introduction to Culture Around the World

Author: Carole P. Roman

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Date: September 23, 2014

Paperback: 32 pages





About the Book
It’s never too early to start teaching children about the world around them. In If You Were Me and Lived in…Greece, early learners get a taste of what their life would be like if they lived in Greece while being introduced to the birthplace of democracy.

This book is the latest installment of the educational series about the cultures of the world that speaks to young children about the topics that interest them, such as the foods people eat, the names of boys and girls, and the activities that children their age living in a foreign land are likely to engage in. This exciting visit to Greece also introduces the important concept of democracy to children and highlights some of the other cultural contributions that Greece has made to Western civilization. Basic information is offered in a playful way that won’t overwhelm children.

My Take 
Like all the other books in this particular series, my daughter and I enjoyed this one just the same. It is so nice to be able to sit down with my child and have a book that she can understand and learn about another country. She is learning so much since we have been reading these books. 

All the books are set up the same. It is the pictures and information that are different. The fact that they do keep the same format is great, because you know what to expect. Like, you know at the beginning of the book you are going to see where Greece is on the globe and you are also going to see what the capital is and learn more about it. You will learn different names that children in Greece are given and what you would call your parents and grandparents. What I really love is how you learn about the important history through story and pictures. You also learn about the kinds of foods that they eat and special holidays. But let's not forget the most important of them all, you learn about the Olympics!

At the end of the book, you find a huge pronunciation guide, so that you can say the words correctly. The pictures are very colourful and give you an idea of what people and things look like in Greece.

Like I stated before, this is a really awesome series and if you collect all the books, your child will have a full knowledge of a lot of countries around the world.

About the Author

Carole P. Roman is an award-winning children's book author whose book, Strangers on the High Seas: A Captain No Beard Story, was named Best Children's Book of the Year by Reader Views in 2013. She is continuing to expand her children's world culture series to new and exciting countries. The author lives on Long Island with her husband and near her children and grandchildren.

If You Were Me and Lived in...Turkey/Norway, by Carole P. Roman

Title: If You Were Me and Lived in...Turkey

Series: A Child's Introduction to Culture Around the World

Author: Carole P. Roman

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Date: November 29, 2013

Paperback: 26 pages

My Take

I am doing something new today. I am reviewing two books at once, seeing how they are from the same series. As I have stated in past posts, I love these books. They are very helpful when trying to learn about new cultures. They are filled with a lot of information. I know for a fact that every time my daughter reads one of these books, she actually learns something new. 

Just like the other books in the series, If You Were Me and Lived in..., they start out showing you where the country is located along with the capital of that particular country. We are then given an interesting fact about the capital/country. For instance, Oslo (the capital of Norway) has 343 lakes and two rivers and Istanbul (a city in Turkey) is the second largest city in the world. As the journey continues, we learn about the different foods that are eaten, names children might have, money that one would use, and much more. The part that really excited my daughter is learning about holidays and traditions that take place in other countries. At the end of the book there is a list of pronunciations.

Title: If You Were Me and Lived in...Norway

Series: A Child's Introduction to Culture Around the World

Author: Carole P. Roman

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Date: September 12, 2013

Paperback: 30 pages

The art work is just as amazing. Bright vivid colors along with cartoon like drawings help draw children in and keep them interested in the book.

Like I have stated before, I really like this series and think that everyone would benefit from having them in their homes. It would be even better if you would go out and purchase your child's school a couple of them so that they can learn about the different cultures around the world.

About The Author

Award-winning author Carole P. Roman has added Turkey and Norway to her delightful series, If You Were Me and Lived in... A former social studies teacher, she loved helping children understand and connecting them to different cultures around the world. Roman's first book, Captain No Beard: An Imaginary Tale of a Pirate's Life, received The Star of Remarkable Merit and was named to Kirkus Reviews' Best of 2012.

I received these complimentary books in return for my honest review.

If You Were Me and Lived in...India, by Carole P. Roman

Title: If You Were Me and Lived in...India: A Child's Introduction to Culture Around the World

Series: If You Were Me and Lived in...

Author: Carole P. Roman

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Date: January 30, 2014

Paperback: 28 pages




About the Book
If You Were Me and Lived in...India: A Child's Introduction to Culture Around the World - the fun and exciting series that takes children around the world is back with and interesting new country and an educational look into the culture of India. Focusing on what life would be like for children if they lived in another major city or country, the series continues to show young readers the diverse world around us and the value of all different cultures. The travel channel for children in book form , this captivating adventure takes children on and exciting journey to the mesmerizing county of India!

My Take
I am a big fan of this series. Every book that my child and I read together is another learning experience about a place we have never gone. Like all the other books, it starts out with a picture of the country and where the capital is located. I really like this because not only does my child get to learn about the country, she gets to see what it would look like on a map and then it is shown what it looks like on a globe. As we take a "trip" around India, we see the sights, sounds, and cultures. We learn what your name would be if you were a boy/girl, how you say mom/dad, a famous place, games you would play, foods you would eat and a famous holiday. In the back of the book is a pronunciation guide and also some of the colors from India are used throughout the book. There is also a little building by the numbers of each page (which I just love). With the book also being in cartoon form, it makes it more interesting for children to read.

So if you already haven't, add this one to your collection. And if you don't have the collection, go out and get it. Trust me, you will not regret it.


About the Author









Award winning author Carole P. Roman is delighted to add India to her growing series. She has recently completed If You Were Me and Lived in...Portugal, Greece, and Russia; which she researched and wrote with her five year old grandson, Alexander. Her first book Captain No Beard An Imaginary Tale of a Pirate's Life was named to Kirkus Best 2012, received the Star of Remarkable Merit, the Pinnacle Award for 2012, and Just recently The Erik Metzroth Award for Best Children's book 2013.


This complimentary book was given to me for my honest review.

If You Were Me and Lived in...Kenya: A Child's Introduction to Culture Around the World, by Carole P. Roman

Title: If You Were Me and Lived in...Kenya: A Child's Introduction to Culture Around the World

Series: If You Were Me and Lived in...

Author: Carole P. Roman

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing

Date: October 24, 2013

Paperback: 30 pages



About the author: 
 Carole P. Roman is the award-winning author of the If You Were Me and Lived in... series, which won the NABE Pinnacle Book Achievement Award in 2012. She collaborated on this installment in the series with her five year old grandson, Alexander. Roman also writes the Captain No Beard series, the first of which was named a Kirkus Best of 2012, received a Star of Remarkable Merit, and won The Pinnacle Award in 2012.

About the book:
If You Were Me and Lived in...Kenya: A Child's Introduction to Culture Around the World is back with a brand new expedition. This amazing children's series by Carole P. Roman is heading to Africa! Focusing on what life could be like for children in another land, this series continues to show the customs and cultures that inhabit our great globe.

My take:
It has been another great adventure for my daughter and me, as we take a trip to Kenya through the If You Were Me and Lived in...Kenya book.

Just like the other books in the If You Were Me and Lived in... series, there is enough information to let us know a lot about the particular country. The book starts out with the shape of the country of Kenya with a location of the capital, Nairobi. Then it shows on a globe where it is located in Africa. Through the different cartoon drawings, we are shown what Kenya looks like, from the city parts to the country parts. We learn about the different foods they eat, like chapati and samosa and how they like to play cricket and celebrate Mombasa Carnival.

I don't know if this was in the other books, but I did like how one of the colors of Africa was used on the pages and then how there was a tiny little giraffe at the bottom of the pages. There is also a pronunciation guide in the back of the book to help out with words that one might not know how to say.

This is a really cute book and like I said before, they are great learning tools and I feel like every school and home library would benefit from having this series in them.

This complementary book was given to me for my honest review.

If You Were Me and Lived in Mexico...A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around the World, by Carole P. Roman

Title: If You Were Me and Lived in...Mexico

Series: If You Were Me and Lived in...

Author: Carole P. Roman

Paperback: 26 pages

Date: March 22, 2013





About the author: 
Carole P. Roman is the award-winning author of the If You Were Me and Lived in... series, which won the NABE Pinnacle Book Achievement Award in 2012. She collaborated on this installment in the series with her five year old grandson, Alexander. Roman also writes the Captain No Beard series, the first of which was named a Kirkus Best of 2012, received a Star of Remarkable Merit, and won The Pinnacle Award in 2012.
  
About the book:
If You Were Me and Lived in...Mexico...A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around the World is the first entry in an informative  and exciting new children's series that focuses on learning and appreciating the many cultures that make up our small planet. Perfect for children from Pre-K to age eight, this book is a groundbreaking new experience in elementary level education. Interesting facts and colorful illustrations help children realize that although the world is large, people all over the globe are basically the same.

My take:
I am a big fan of this series. I wish they had books like this when I was young or even if they did, I wish my parents found them. I know my daughter has learned a lot from this series. Every time I hand her one of these books, she comes back with more knowledge than she had before.

Like all the other books, it starts out with a had drawn picture of Mexico and it shows right where Mexico City is located. Then as soon as you turn the page, you see where it is located on the globe. Children will also learn about Mexico City and one of the historic buildings, Palacio de Bellas Artes. You also will learn what some children's names are and how you would address your parents if you lived in Mexico. You also get to learn about the different foods that they eat and the name they use for money. Children will also learn the popular sport that is played and what you would call a doll, if that is something that one liked to play with. There is also information regarding going to school and a famous holiday that they celebrate.

The pictures are just as engaging as the story. The cartoon like colorful characters will no doubt draw your child's attention to the book and keep them engaged in the story. Also, the actual pictures are in cartoon form, not just the characters, which I know a lot of children will like.

Toward the back of the book is a pronunciation guide to help you out with the words that are in another language. So not only do you get to learn about a new country, you can pick up on some of the words and use them in your every day life.

This complementary book was given to me for my honest review.