by James Brown and Richard Platt
Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781406370843
(Age: 8+) Information, Non fiction. 'From cloud classification to
Roman numerals, an essential miscellany of fascinating facts for
curious minds', reads the sub title on the front cover of this over
sized hard cover volume, reflecting a style of books from the past.
Opening the covers reinforces that supposition, but an inquisitive
child will linger over the miscellany of facts displayed here. The
table of contents includes a wide variety of topics, The periodic
table, Human skeleton, Phases of the moon, Music notation, Rivers
and Knots. Each topic has a monochromatic double page devoted to it
with one page of information and one page containing a diagram. The
text is clear and the stylish diagrams well presented, both sure to
attract the attention of inquisitive eyes. Even though children have
access to the internet, some will also be attracted to this book
full of wonder and interest as it presents such a diverse range of
information, and could be used as a reference tool as well as a book
of curiousities to satisfy eager minds. The stylised illustrations
reflect much detail as the eye is drawn into the myriad of
intricacies shown on each page. I enjoyed dipping into the pages.
One that caught my eye was Impossible shapes, which shows the sorts
of shapes that look as if they should be right as the mind tries to
justify them but on closer inspection he reader can see why they
trick the eye. Another page celebrates all the different types of
pencils and brushes, while another shows the phases of the moon.
Lots of interesting facts for those kids who love delving into
things with an alert mind.
Fran Knight