From the start, readers are caught up in the crisp style of the series. Whether it's a description of bustling London, or an incredibly readable explanation of the decline of ancient Egypt, 5th-grade-and-up students are right there ... visualizing ... understanding ... and remembering!

Best of all, little is overlooked that will contribute to the readers' total appreciation of a culture. Be it sagas of Vikings or folktales of trolls. Or even acknowledgment of modern Vikings like Thor Heyerdahl. There's mystery such as England's Stonehenge and Egypt's Great Pyramids ... plus nature's wonders -- like Australia's egg-laying platypus and China's gentle but rare pandas. Everything is there ... to be enjoyed, relished, and learned from.

Each book also includes a chapter of brief biographies of important people. And each features an 8-10 page reference section of "quick facts", perfect for students' research, about such subjects as population, government, geographical data, currency, and historical chronology. Throughout, all the books are ablaze with a generous amount of beautiful full-color photographs.

"Enchantment of the World" can be of equal importance in the l