Highest mountain deepest ocean: a pictorial compendium of natural wonders ill. by Page Tsou

Five Mile Press, 2017. ISBN 9781760406387
(Age: 6+) Recommended. Lists, Comparisons, natural world. Akin to a Guinness Book of Records or books of lists (which I love) this book will encourage avid readers of facts to delve deeper into the book, as they are assailed with information about the largest animals or the tallest trees, the highest mountains and the longest animal migration. Each double page has a range of illustrations with information about each thing represented. I was fascinated by the page of biggest storms. The sepia style of illustrations gives the page an old fashioned, woodblock look which reflects the time scale of storms represented. So we have a range of storms given: ice storms, hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones, hailstorms, lightning storms and sonic storms. Details are given about each type of storm with information about one of the most severe storm in that category. I can imagines lots of readers being drawn into each page, relishing the information given and poring over the pictures.
The old fashioned style is used throughout the book by illustrator, Page Tsou, to wonderful effect.
The endpapers are visually exciting showing the flight of a bird over the double page, a thrilling introduction and ending to the large format book. So to find out which is the fastest animals, or the longest living, the highest mountain, the deepest burrowing animal or the distance from the earth to the moon, this is the dip in book to read.
Like many of these sorts of books, it will be hidden on the non fiction shelves, so needs promoting to readers.
Fran Knight