Customer Reviews

Kazakhstan (Modern World Nations)

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I am a middle school librarian AND a soon-to-be adoptive mother of a Kaz baby. I happened to have this book in my middle school library and found it good basic info on Kaz. It covers history, people, food, traditions; all the basics. It's fairly up-to-date too which is nice. The author must be Kaz as he (she?) talks about Kaz in glowing terms that don't always seem warrented (I remember something like --Kazakhstan has some of the most beautiful landscape in the world-- which clearly contradicts other information about the steppes.) That said, a good intro to Kaz, especially for the younger reader.

I am blessed to be the great-aunt of two boys adopted from Kazakhstan nearly eight years ago. The boys are now in 2nd and 3rd grade and our family encourages interest in their country of birth, so I have purchased this book along with others listed below to have in our "family" library.


This book: "Kazakhstan", by Zoran Pavlovic, 2003, ISBN 0-7910-7231-2 is nearly identical to two others. The Cheng book: ISBN 0-7614-1193-3 is the best of the three, as well as the cheapest. "Kazakhstan In Pictures", ISBN 0-8225-6588-9, a third nearly identical book was the most expensive and has a link to [...] (which anyone can use for free) This free link can be used to supplement for more current information.

Two more books of Kazakh traditional folktales which will be of much more interest to the kids have been ordered (used), but not yet received:
"Stories of the Steppes" Kazakh folktales, by Mary Lou Masey, 1968, Publisher: McKay. (try [...] if you cannot find it)
"Tales Told In Tents" (Hardcover, 2005) ISBN-10 : 1845070666. Neither book has been received yet, but reviews indicate they are both very good.

It is difficult to find quality information on Kazakhstan, but hopefully this will help out others! I hope the two boys and their little sister enjoy them as much as I have.