Flags of the World: The History and Culture of Nations' Banners

by Sylvie Bednar

Overview

In designer and author Sylvie Bednar’s complete compendium of the world’s flags, Flags of the World, each nation’s flag is paired with facts and tidbits of history. These flags provide a window into the histories, values, and cultures of countries around the world.

Waving in the wind, a flag may not seem like a code. But hidden in the stripes, stars, suns, moons, and colors of the world’s flags are the keys to understanding different countries’ shared histories and cherished ideals.

Flags do much more than identify countries and groups of people. In every color, pattern, and design, the citizens and governments of countries announce their allegiances and herald their history. If you know what to look for, a flag can reveal major insights into another country’s history and culture.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810980105
Publisher:	Abrams Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	08/01/2009
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	208,560
Product dimensions:	10.40(w) x 7.60(h) x 1.20(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Sylvie Bednar is a designer and author who writes about her voyages through Australia, Iceland, and Mexico. Fascinated by the multicolored beauty of flags, she has extensively researched their meanings and developed a deep admiration for their symbolic power. She lives in France.

Editorial Reviews

The vibrant flag images included in this flag-shaped, coffee-table–appropriate book are treated as works of art in and of themselves, with many taking up a full page (spot art depicts native peoples, sites and animals). The symbolic components of each flag are analyzed (the flag for Papua New Guinea features a yellow bird found nowhere else in the world), and statistical, sociological and geographical information is given for each country. Flag aficionados and students of geography should appreciate the attention paid to each stylized form. Ages 8–12. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Gr 4 Up—Organized by continent, this book takes a close look at the artwork and meaning of each country's flag. A large color image of the flag is accompanied by entries about the state's capital, currency, official language, area, and highest geographical point. More than 100 captioned illustrations add fascinating facts as well. Readers will be exposed to a wide variety of information ranging from the smallest entity (Vatican City at 0.2 square miles) to the oldest flag (Denmark's, established in 1625), and from the origin of the Papua New Guinea flag (designed by a 15-year-old contest winner) to the only country to have a solid-color flag with no other design (Libya). The consistent layout of the book and its accessible information will create an ease of both student use and comprehension. An ideal source for geography lessons and related projects.—Beth McGuire, Fannett-Metal School District, Willow Hill, PA

School Library Journal