B is for Bagpipes: A Scotland Alphabet by Eve Begley Kiehm is the ideal book to introduce children to Scotland and give them a taste for this country. Set in the format of the multitude of other similar “alphabet books,” there is a page for each letter of the alphabet along with a corresponding Scottish word (i.e. B is for Bagpipe, H is for Haggis). A four line piece of verse gives the definition for the word and the beautiful illustrations help to show what that definition means. Even better, several paragraphs of more detailed explanations are included for each letter in the margin of the page making this book suitable for very young ages all the way to middle school.
B is for Bagpipes covers all the important Scottish topics one would want to communicate to children: bagpipes, clans, the sword dance, Edinburgh and the castle, Greyfriar’s Bobby, haggis, the islands, the Jacobites, the kilt and all that accompanies it, the Loch Ness monster, Mary Queen of Scots, wildlife, porridge, the Picts, Robert Burns, Robert the Bruce, golf, tartan, William Wallace, and more!
This book is well illustrated and the pictures capture the beauty of the country and her classic features.
Travel Notes: this book would make a great introduction to the land of Scotland for any child and would help prepare him or her for their own journey there.