Countries & Cultures
(& More About Places)
For years before I became a writer, I was a middle school World Geography teacher. I love sharing the people and places around the globe with young learners. My books on cities, states, countries, continents, and ecosystems cover so many topics—from what people eat to how they get to school. Want to explore the world? These books are a great place to start!
BOOKS ABOUT COUNTRIES
Country Profiles – Published by 
Adventure abroad! This series takes young explorers on a world tour. Readers will stop at famous landmarks, meet new groups of people, and experience unique customs and holidays. To further celebrate cultural diversity, these books teach how to speak foreign words, cook staple foods, and play traditional games.
Countries Alicia has written about in this series:
- Austria
- Belize
- Bolivia
- Cambodia
- Costa Rica
- Czech Republic
- Ethiopia
- Finland
- Guatemala
- Haiti
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Iran
- Malaysia
- Morocco
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Pakistan
- Panama
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Scotland
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
Exploring World Cultures – Published by 
Young readers take an exciting adventure around the world in this series that looks at the diversity of cultures that can be found on our planet. From the lush beauty of Colombia to the vast deserts in Libya, a wide variety of stunning locations are presented to readers through accessible text and vibrant, full-color photographs. Fact boxes and sidebars highlight additional information about each country. From the natural world and everyday lives of the people to special festivals and delicious foods, focused chapters allow readers to deepen their understanding of different cultures.
Countries Alicia has written about in this series:
- Australia
- Brazil
- Chile
- Colombia
- El Salvador
- France
- Indonesia
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Libya
- Nicaragua
- Nigeria
- Portugal
- Singapore
- Switzerland
- Zimbabwe
BOOKS ABOUT CITIES
Great Cities of the World – Published by 
Each title in Great Cities of the World spotlights a single, dynamic urban center. Chapters cover geography, history, people, economy, architecture, infrastructure, arts and culture, sports, main attractions, food and shopping, daily life and celebrations. Readers gain a sense of what each city is like and a heightened awareness of the world beyond the one they know.
“Gr 3-5 This entertaining series provides a balanced view of the world’s largest cities…Each book looks at the culture, history, population, and economy of the profiled city and does not shy away from negative realities.” – School Library Journal
“The United Arab Emirates enters the spotlight in Explore Dubai wherein readers will discover the city’s intriguing mixture of old and new architecture, its high-tech nature, and its move toward becoming a cleaner, greener city…A solid, well-detailed series for young readers beginning to research major cities.” – Booklist
BOOKS ABOUT CONTINENTS
Earth’s Continents – Published by 
This series shares the wonders of the world’s seven continents with young readers. Discover the plants and animals located throughout each continent. Find out more about the people, cultures, and history of various countries in each continent as well. Recipes and craft activities give young learners a chance to extend their learning.
BOOKS ABOUT U.S. STATES
State Profiles – Published by
Get ready for a road trip across the United States! Readers will travel from the Appalachians to the Grand Canyon and even to Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. in this fact-filled series. Along the way, they’ll visit famous cities, learn about local festivals, and discover favorite foods in each state. Features highlight inventions, favorite sports teams, current and future challenges, and a favorite recipe, while maps of the state and its landforms show readers around. Get ready to discover what makes each state great!
“Gr 2-5 – Eye-catching photography accompanied by a paragraph or two per section, this series…offers a great overview on each U.S. state, good for school projects.” – School Library Journal
BOOKS ABOUT ECOSYSTEMS
How Do You Live There? – Published by 
Introduce your young readers to dynamic and difficult-to-inhabit landscapes like the Arctic, the rain forest, and even outer space. Through captivating and age-appropriate content, each book explores a new environment, how humans originally adapted to live there, and how innovation continues to facilitate habitation. Aided by full-color photographs and helpful maps, students will discover the unique relationship between humans and nature and, as a result, think critically about the future of these environments.
A Day In An Ecosystem – Published by
Imagine a video camera focused over a lake, an estuary, or the taiga. What would you see in twenty-four hours? These books take students through the changes in light, temperature, and natural activities that occur in these ecosystems over the course of a day, and introduce them to the plants and creatures that enter the picture at daybreak, in daylight, at dusk, and at dark. The narrative nonfiction style of this series will make readers feel like they are having adventures of their own as they explore amazing environments around the globe.
