If our world were 100 days by Jackie McCann. Illus. by Aaron Crossley

Seeing the world in 100 days will tease the minds of younger readers as they come to grips with the panorama of change and challenges of life on this planet. If our world were 100 days covers 10,000 years, starting from the time when people first began to settle into permanent structures. And each double page shows us one aspect of life and what has happened in the past 100 days.

Readers will be enthralled to see that at 100 days ago, the world’s population was 7 million, where as today, it is 8 billion. A more daunting fact shows that at 2 days ago, the population was 1 billion and it took only one more day to read 8 billion. Over that page is also dotted snippets of information which the reader will find enticing and informative. Over the page a double page spread shows the changes in housing over the 100 days; another double page shows us the changes in textiles and costume, while another shows us when writing first appeared (54 days ago) and what has been achieved in communication since. 100 days ago saw the invention of the first musical instruments, and 100 days ago saw trepanning used to cure headaches. Each of these pages then goes on to show the achievements in music and health since then. 46 days ago saw the development of the first chariot and today electric vehicles are available.

Space travel takes up the next long ways double page, and the following page warns us of climate change. 100 days ago, was the end of the ice age and 2 days ago earth is warming up.

The last two pages of double spreads offers the impact we have had on earth, its consequences and solutions. As we contemplate that 2.5 billion people will be added over the next 15 days, the questions younger readers will ask, is how to feed, clothe and house them.

This thought provoking book offers large questions to the readers, and they will discuss and analyse these as they read. Whether by themselves, in a group or class setting, the book offers lots of questions for younger readers to think about.

Themes: World events, Planet earth, History, Survival, Non fiction.

Fran Knight