Germany is a very interesting place when we see it through the eyes of our youthful tour guide, Johann. He starts off by showing us where Germany is compared to the U.S. and within Europe. After we get the geography out of the way, Johann treats us to a tour of his home, his school and important places in his country (Berlin, the Black Forest, etc.). We learn about German foods and proper manners at the table, as well as celebrations and a recipe for potato pancakes (yum!). Johann also describes activities that are popular in his country, from skiing to a fun board game.

There is a timeline and many facts given in accessible “bites”. Students will want to dedicate some time to further research after reading about the history of the pretzel or all the familiar items originating in Germany (gummy bears, jet engines and garden gnomes are just a few!). There is also a traditional German tale and a guessing game. Johann ends with a page of information to use if you wish to travel to Germany and a comparison chart of U.S. and Germany.

Nonfiction elements include: table of contents, index, glossary, timeline, maps and website for further investigation. There are color photos and clean text, which is sometimes colored to stand out on the page.

This is a very engaging book that packs a great deal of information into 32 pages. It is part of the Follow Me Around series and when students read one, they won’t want to stop. So, buy the series and update your tired, old social studies section. The students will love them!