Keeping the Traditions: A Multicultural Resource is a teaching tool for grades 4-8 to celebrate the immigrants of the United States. The author has profiled 20 different countries that have supplied the millions of immigrants to this country, for "upon the talents of these millions of immigrants, the United States of America was built."

Each country profile begins with a folktale from that country. The chapter includes sections for background information, history, government, religion, education, immigrants, language, the arts and sciences, food, recreation, customs and traditions, suggested activities and suggested readings. The background information provides the specifics about the country's regions, geography, climate, capitals, major cities, industries and other facts.

The suggested activities provide things to do in 12 areas: writing, reading, math, vocabulary, social studies, geography, music, art, drama/movement, dress, cooking and a culminating activity. There is a recipe in each chapter and a bibliography for further reading and reference.

The countries profiled are Canada, China, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Senegal, South Korea, the United Kingdom and Vietnam.

Oddly, the very first "legend" in the book is the Sky Woman folktale. The author credits it as an Ojibway tale that has been retold as an Iroquois tale. In the history section, she places the Iroquois in Southern Ontario and has the Plains tribes "sometimes migrating into what is now the United States." However, the Iroquois' far-reaching territories included the "Warriors Path" through the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia and an ongoing war against the Cherokees over hunting territories throughout the Blue Ridge region of Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky. Thus, those Iroquois were a bit more southern than Ontario -- by at least a couple of inches on the big map!

Phyllis J. Perry has written more than 30 nonfiction books for children, parents and teachers. A former educator, she has won the Governor's Award for Excellence in Education. (However, the errors about the Iroquois alone should keep this book out of schools.)