One of titles in the "Exploring Countries" series, this book engages readers with colorful photos and maps. At Level 5 in the Blastoff! Readers series, these books are at the highest fluency level for this age range, where more text appears on each page, and new topics—such as countries they have not yet studied—are introduced to readers. The text works with the images on each spread to engage readers, taking them on a tour through the geography, culture, history, and background facts about the country. Bartell has selected some of the most interesting information about Russia to include, such as Lake Baikal, Russian ballet and sports, Moscow's Red Square, and national holidays such as Pancake Week. The layout includes large and small images on each spread, along with "Fun Fact" and "Did You Know" text boxes peppered throughout. Sections about daily life and going to school in Russia will particularly appeal to young readers. Glossary terms appear in bold and are well-defined in the back of the book for reference, and a helpful index in the back of the book is also included. Overall, this book includes some great information for young readers who would like to jump-start their knowledge about life in Russia. Reviewer: Kip Wilson
