Geography from A to Z: A Picture Glossary ― A Kirkus-Praised Alphabet Book of Earth's Physical Features for Kids (Ages 4-8) (Trophy Picture Books

by Jack Knowlton, Harriet Barton (Illustrator)

This picture glossary is the perfect book to help young kids begin to learn about Earth’s geography! From A (as in archipelago) to Z (as in zone), it features over sixty clear and concise definitions with beautiful full-color illustrations and maps. 

Have you ever wondered what a badland is? What about a gulch? Do you know what an isthmus is? Or a seamount? What about the difference between a plateau and a plain, or a knob and a knoll? Well look no further. This broad introduction to the fascinating world around us explores our planet’s physical features from the highest mountain peak to the deepest ocean trench. The team behind Maps & Globes proves that geography can indeed be an adventure.

This picture glossary, filled with accessible information to help children better understand geography and the environment, was praised by Kirkus as “an attractive introduction to geography’s rich vocabulary.”

Genres: Geography, Childrens, Picture Books, Nonfiction, School, Reference, History

48 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1988

Reviews

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

March 2019 review: This is one I’m going to read every three months until everyone in the family feels they have a good working knowledge of the contents. This is a phenomenal book and helpful for young and old.

[Karen Witzler · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite homeschol books - landforms from A to Z with clear illustrations.

[Daniel Souza Luz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uma vizinha jogou fora esse livro, junto com vários materiais escolares. Estava numa mureta duas ruas acima da minha e em ótimo estado. Ainda bem que o achei antes que chovesse nele; os outros materiais em cima dele o protegeram da garoa (vi a papelada lá por dias, intocada por catadores, e só o peguei quando passei ao lado, passeando com meus cachorros). É uma obra divertida, com ilustrações bacanas e muito instrutiva - é para crianças de sete a dez anos, mas como não fui alfabetizado em inglês, obviamente aprendi alguns termos científicos gringos que foram novidade para mim. Depois de lê-lo o dei para minha noiva, que dá aulas de inglês para crianças na faixa de idade indicada no livro, pois ele é ótimo no que se propõe.

[JLynn Rios]

The book goes through terms from A to Z, like “island,” “mountain,” and “valley,” and shows each one with simple pictures and explanations. I liked how the pictures helped me understand the words better, and it made learning about the world feel interesting instead of boring. This book is good for kids who are just starting to learn about maps and places, and it’s easy to read and understand.

[Kest Schwartzman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is certainly the beginning of several conversation ratehr than the end (seriously, you can't write a definition of coral in a picture book the includes the word "polyp" without also defining "polyp" but) all in all, it's pretty comprehensive, and pretty easy to go over with a kidling

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was perfect at teaching the terminology of the Earth's features. It is not something that is going to stick the first time read, but it is rather a book that can be returned to time and again to build the knowledge. I learned a few things myself in this first reading!

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used this simple book alongside our cartography program this schoolyear. I read it to the older children when they were little. Useful for building geography vocabulary with simple definitions and illustrations of different features you may find in the landscape.

[Cammie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun Way to Learn Geography

Love the pictures that help cement in children’s minds what they are reading. A simply easy to read and understand geography terms.

[What April's Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun way to learn about geography.
For this year, we wrote each word on an index card and made it a vocabulary word, drawing the picture on the blank side.

[Jessica Kirsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

Good illustrations and basic definitions of geographical phrases. Good for mid-elementary age, as a supplement in a geography study.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun introduction to ecosystems, biomes, and different textural elements of the earth.

[Nadia Machkour · Rating 4 out of 5]

it is a very exciting book! I will recommend it to my class.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent picture glossary of basic geographical features (I think there are about 70 of them). Gives an early learner a foundation on which to build. I pair this with youtube videos as well, along with a discussion to improve understanding. By no means is it exhaustive. I would say ages 4-8 could manage well, but it may be too simple for an older child.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good alphabet book and goes through cool geographical features too, like volcanoes and mesas and canyons and isthmus (brought up a discussion about Panama Canal and we watched a video about how boats go from one ocean to the next). The boys I watched thought this book was really cool. :)

[Nancy (Colorado) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative and loaded with facts.

[Kelly Mize · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great resource. One to buy and have on hand, as it would be relevant for PK-3 to possibly 5, depending on reading ability.