Part of a series of books about countries of the world, this exploration of Israel is at "level 5" which, according to the publisher's scale, is when children have moved from "learning to read" to "reading to learn." The contents are unembroidered and factual. No mention is made of Israel's troubled history or constantly contested borders. Although reference is made to separate Muslim and Jewish schools, little is said about the discord between the two peoples. A map at the front of the book shows Israel, today, with the West Bank and Gaza in colors that match the colors of Arab countries. Israel is depicted with pre-1967 borders. The square miles (also shown in kilometers) are given but the usual comparison to the size of the state of New Jersey in omitted, indicating that the book is aimed at a wider world market. Illustrative photos of the country are beautiful and inviting, and "fun facts" are included to amuse young trivia buffs. However, the impression given is that most Israelis are religiously observant when many are secular Jews. Reference is made to the dietary laws observed by Jews and Muslims, but readers must intuit the similarities between kosher and halal rituals (e.g. the prohibition of pork and rules for strict cleanliness). While Israeli agriculture is acknowledged, the importance of the kibbutz and moshav movements in the founding of Israel and its importance to tourism is overlooked. There is a glossary of terms and a bibliography that cites books that are over a decade old. However, the "factsurfer" web tool is more updated and offers a wider variety of books for students to read. Part of the "Blastoff! 5 Readers" series. Reviewer: Lois Rubin Gross