.jpg)
 |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |
 |  |
Non-Fiction Book Reviews
All Around a Year
Mariana Ruiz Johnson, trans. Avi Silberstein, pub. Greystone Kids
Beginning with winter, All Around a Year charts the changing seasons and the many things that happen year after year through the eyes of a little mouse family. Each season transitions into the next, characterised by a whole host of relatable moments, activities and challenges.
Winter is for reading under a cosy blanket and building snow yetis while in Spring ‘the butterflies and bees party all day long’. Summer brings buzzing mosquitoes and the ‘inexplicable need for ice cream’ before the whirlpool of leaves and the coughs and colds of Autumn blow in. This adorable little mouse family, with their wonderfully over-sized ears, are cute but never cutesy and are given real personality through the quirky drawing style, bold outlines and cartoon speech bubbles. The bold, busy, brightly coloured artwork from award-winning author illustrator Mariana Ruiz Johnson has a Richard Scarry vibe; packed full of detail and humour, offering something new to appreciate on each re-read.
Just like any family, these mice have their ups and downs (and a new baby on the way) but all these changes are acknowledged and validated. The sense of community is strong too; all kinds of different animals get along and celebrate the seasons together whether at a festival, in the pool or enjoying a special meal. By the end of the year ‘some things will be different, you’ll be a year older, that’s just how it works. When this story ends, it will begin again.’
Perfectly-crafted, expertly-designed and completely child-focussed, this is the perfect teaching tool for seasonal changes and time concepts in pre-school through to KS1. It works well for literacy too with simple sentences, repeated phrases, a direct to reader narrative and some advanced and intriguing vocabulary with words like ‘voracious’ and ‘inexplicable’ interwoven. Children who struggle with change will find its matter-of-factness and its messages reassuring. It also subtly opens up discussion around personal growth, family change and empathy for those around you.
All in all, All Around the Year is an exceptionally clever book; educational, entertaining, highly readable, and a reassuring reminder of all the many things to look forward to as the seasons change and we change with them. One not to be missed!
Eileen Armstrong
Ned Hartley, illus. Alex Lopez, pub. Buster Books
Are you ready to unleash your inner artist? For any creative children, especially those who enjoy reading comic books like Captain Underpants, Bunny vs Monkey and Dogman, this book is absolutely perfect! Delivered in achievable chunks, the skills that are taught throughout will provide you with all the tools needed to create your own comic book.
Create Your Own Comics is a wonderful walk-through for anyone who is looking to make their own comic books. With an introductory chapter explaining what comics are and how they work, guidance on how to create your own panels, characters and sounds effects (like the iconic ‘KAPOW!’), and steps for how to come up with your own plots and build your own stories, this book really does cover everything. The book models how to complete each step and provides areas to practise the new skill. The variety of storylines that are explored in the book means that children can dip their toes into all kinds of story types while rehearsing their skills whether that be fantasy storylines with wizards and goblins, spooky stories involving witches and ghosts or more traditional comic book characters – superheroes and villains!
The pages are carefully thought through. The guidance on finding your personal art style and mixing genres is incredibly helpful. If you’re starting with a blank page not knowing where to begin, this book will give you a clear direction to follow.
Quite simply, this book is awesome. It’s packed with fun, overflowing with creativity, and provides the perfect roadmap to becoming the next Stan Lee. Grab your pencils - your comic book journey starts here!
Tom Joy
Create Your Own Comics
A Compendium of Curious Contraptions: A Guessing Game about History’s Most Unusual Artefacts
Anna Goldfield, illus. Paula Zamudio, pub. Neon Squid
Curious Contraptions presents twenty archaeological artefacts, or historical objects, for the reader to study. Each comes with clues to unravel before a flap can be lifted to reveal what the artefact is.
There is a new mystery for readers to solve on each double spread. Anna Coldfield invites the reader to be a detective, encouraging the reader to use their observational skills of Paula Zamudio’s realistic illustration of each piece with additional contextual information and background to different cultures as clues. The clues are cleverly written and should be read carefully. Whilst some of the artefacts or objects are easier than others to guess, they all are fascinating, including examples from most continents, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe and across a range of different periods from the ancient world to the Chinese Han dynasty and nineteenth century America.
Curious Contraptions introduces religio-magical artefacts, household objects, early scientific instruments – including amazingly the first computer – and things made for fun. One conundrum however remains, a Roman 2nd and 3rd century metal dodecahedron that archaeologists cannot explain, opening up the prospect for young readers to make their own discoveries in the future.
Moreover, there are dedicated chapters, sharing information about material culture on a range of themes: medicine, boots, fashion, tableware, weapons and transport. Richly illustrated, the book has examples of different artefacts and objects from a variety of cultures, who made use of the resources available to them – for example the razor-sharp obsidian embedded in the wooden clubs of people living on the Yucatan peninsula – and some that are still used today, such as a kudru, a bamboo and hide coracle, water-proofed with coconut oil or tree resin that is used in Asia.
Curious Contraptions makes archaeology and history engaging, a puzzle to piece together for young readers, aged 7-11 years old.
Simon Barrett
Finding Life: A Prehistoric Search and Find
Sophie Williams, pub. Cicada Books
Search-and-find books are extremely popular and provide hours of fun and distraction. Finding Life is no exception and will particularly appeal to young readers who are fascinated by dinosaurs and fossils.
Although aimed at children aged 7–11, younger children will also enjoy exploring the pages and immersing themselves in each scene. The book’s landscape format allows for expansive double-page spreads, each filled with large, detailed illustrations and numerous creatures to discover. Alongside dinosaurs, readers can spot giant scorpions, early vacuum-feeding fish, and even birds the size of buses!
Each section includes accessible background information about the different prehistoric periods, explaining how habitats and animals evolved over time. It strikes a pleasing balance between entertainment and learning. Many primary-aged children will confidently tackle even the more challenging dinosaur names.
A particular highlight is the page on fossils, which adds an extra layer of interest and context. The inclusion of a glossary covering general terms and key animals from each time period rounds off the book effectively. An engaging and informative title, perfect for primary children and especially those with an enthusiasm for all things prehistoric.
Barbara Band
Formula Fast: Your Ultimate Guide to Formula One Racing
Matt Ralphs, illus. Dragan Kordic, pub. Phaidon Press
This is an exciting journey through Formula One, published to coincide with the start of the 2026 season. There is a wealth of information for children about Formula One motor racing. Adults as well as younger readers will find the content and presentation interesting and useful. The book covers the cars, the drivers, the tracks and lots of background and inside detail. It is very cleverly aimed to inspire children and to inform all ages, whether they have some basic knowledge of the sport or none at all.
The book's large size with its bright and colourful silver foiled cover offers a tempting invitation to explore inside. The fantastic, colourful illustrations are accompanied by informative and detailed labels. Many of the illustrations are spread over two pages, making them big, bright and clear and a very appealing look at the world of Formula One. The book starts with a contents page clearly set out like a race track and with tiny cars. It goes on to cover everything that happens during a race weekend, including features of the cars, famous cars and drivers and iconic tracks. There is more detail about car safety and the flags used during a race and what each one means. There is also a summary of the different tyres used. This book is very much a timeline of Formula One racing and it finishes with a comprehensive glossary.
The pages are packed with facts, statistics and illustrations. Lots of questions are answered in a simple way. The reader will learn about incredible cars, famous tracks, the action behind the scenes and lots of big names. As well as all the basics there is a look at more technical details, the engineering, strategies and human skills. The high-tech steering wheel is explained with another amazing illustration. Everything that happens during a pit stop and in the garage is shown. With a more personal touch, legendary drivers are mentioned, such as Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and Desire Wilson. The cars and the teams are not forgotten, like Cooper, Brabham, Williams, Lotus, Ferrari, McClaren, Mercedes, Alfa Romeo, Renault and Red Bull. Finally, there are the tracks such as Silverstone in Great Britain, Monza in Italy, Las Vegas in the United States and of course Monaco.
This really is a deep-dive into the sport of Formula One motor racing. There is history, detail and excitement. All easy to understand. Even those who are not big fans or experts, will enjoy reading this book and will learn from it.
Gary Kenworthy
The Gland Factory: A Tour of Your Body’s Goops, Juices, and Hormones
Rachel Poliquin, illus. Clayton Hanmer, pub. Greystone Kids
The Gland Factory, a tour of all your body’s glands that every adult probably doesn’t want to think about and that every child will absolutely delight in!
The factory tours begin with the salivary glands, one of the ‘goop glands’ that are more technically called exocrine glands and an important part of the body’s NO GO IN security system: NO Germs or Other Invading Nasties. Quickly passing through the mouth leads the reader to the Snot Shower, firmly establishing early in the book the humour you can expect. There is a great nasal mucus colour code from all clear, everything is fine to code black, a possible fungal infection, requiring you to see a doctor. We also visit the main control centre of the Hypothalamus, introducing the reader to the second type of glands, the ‘messenger glands,’ again more technically called the endocrine glands. The endocrine glands busily sending and receiving continuous streams of messages from around the body in order to maintain the body in the Just Right zone that is homeostasis. This means we are not too hot or too cold, not asleep when we should be awake and not weeing through the night. In fact, just right.
Typically, each of the glands is covered in two double-page spreads. Rachel Poliquin’s description of the role and function of the glands is accessible and fun whilst also introducing the more technical language, often in bold. (The words in bold are included in the glossary at the back of the book.) There are some mind-boggling facts to relish. How about, there are 30 trillion cells in your body? Clayton Hanmer’s illustrations work on a number of levels, supporting the text, but also communicating additional information and having a lot of fun, especially with the graffiti and the posters. Somehow even a caricature of Rosie the Riveter is included.
The concept of a factory is very clever, communicating how the glands interconnect. The whole narrative of the tour helps with this understanding as well as the links made in the text and the illustrations. Whilst The Gland Factory will appeal to children generally, it is also an incredibly useful reference resource for KS3 science.
Simon Barrett
Hooked: Learning to Fish
Al Brown, illus. Hope McConnell, pub. Allen and Unwin
Al Brown, renowned chef and avid angler, has written a very special book in which he shares his knowledge and love of fishing. What shines through is his infectious enthusiasm. He explains that “all fishing opportunities give me a thrill.one way or another. It all revolves around the anticipation of the adventures ahead. Anticipation of the unknown, the unexpected and the expected.”
The book is a comprehensive guide to fishing and includes coverage of Maori fishing, sustainability, a range of species, learning the lingo, your lucky fishing hat, fishing kit, knots and nots, safety is no accident. There are sections on wharf fishing, kayak or boat fishing (including boat speak), surfcasting or fly fishing and he includes kit lists and casting tips. The information is practical and easy to understand. Then there is a section on” You’ve Caught A fish – Now what?” where we learn to fillet and cook our catch. The author includes his favourite recipes such as Best Fish Pie Ever; Fish Head and Bacon Chowder; Lucky Chocolate Fish Slice; Mussel and Kumara Fritters; Roasted Fish Belly; and Smoked Kahawai Melt. There is a helpful index, to these and all the contents, at the back of the book.
This book is much more than a technical fishing manual. The tone is personal, humorous and nostalgic. We see why fishing is important to him. “I find fishing a great way to clear my head — there is something almost spiritual about being about water. Sometimes it is the vastness, other times the stillness, the deepness or the speed of flowing water.” Although Al is clearly an expert he says, “Something that dawned on me when I was putting all this (book) together was that we fishers never stop learning.” Hope McConnell’s artwork enhances the book. The illustrations are vibrant and full of fun and add to the book’s appeal.
This is a book for anyone interested in fishing, but it is also for readers who understand the passion and love of a fulfilling hobby. Brown describes the book as “Part Reference, part how-to, part tongue in cheek, part conversation, part recipes, part education, part nostalgia . . . and, of course, the most important part of all is having ridiculous amounts of fun.” Highly recommended.
Brenda Marshall
Robotics
Kate Peridot, illus. Denis Freitas, pub. Dorling Kindersley
Readers familiar with the distinctive style of Dorling Kindersley publications will recognise the hallmarks that have made the publisher’s information books popular. Robotics follows this well-established format, presenting complex ideas through a combination of photographs, illustrations and diagrams, accompanied by short, accessible blocks of explanatory text. The result is a visually engaging introduction to the subject that invites browsing as well as more focused reading.
The retro-style black and yellow cover immediately catches the eye and effectively signals the technological theme of the book. Readers are introduced to the many ways in which robotics and automated systems feature in everyday life with familiar examples such as robots used in car manufacturing, the role of virtual assistants including Siri and Alexa, and the operation of driverless trains. By grounding the topic in recognisable contexts, the author helps readers understand that robotics is not confined to science fiction but is an integral part of modern society. Alongside these everyday applications, the book explores the more imaginative and entertaining aspects of robotics including robotic toys and virtual reality.
It also addresses the increasingly important role robots play in more serious and, often. Life-saving contexts such as the use of robotics in medicine, search and rescue operations, and mining. Additionally, the book draws attention to the contribution of robotics to environmental work, including land and ocean conservation, providing a helpful reminder that technological innovation can play a positive role in addressing global challenges. A clear and informative timeline traces the development of robots from early concepts to present-day innovations, giving young readers a sense of how the field has evolved over time. Other sections explain, in simple but effective terms, how robots perceive and interpret the world through sensors and programming, and how they move using different mechanical systems. These explanations introduce key scientific and engineering concepts without overwhelming the intended audience.
The layout supports independent exploration, allowing readers to dip in and out of the book according to their interests, and the combination of visual elements and concise text makes the material particularly accessible for developing readers. Aimed at children aged 7–9, Robotics provides a clear and engaging introduction to an important area of modern science and technology. It would be a valuable addition to school and classroom libraries, particularly in supporting STEM topics and encouraging curiosity about how technology shapes the world around us.
Barbara Band
Weirdosaurus: Pre-history’s Most Peculiar Creatures
Philip Bunting, pub. Happy Yak
This is a very special book. The cover is captivating with a range of creatures, and the actual title intrigues. The endpapers are a glorious series of dinosaurs with a variety of shapes and colours. There is a contents page and an excellent introduction that explains that there are limitations as to what can be gleaned from fossils in the ground. Fossils provide plenty of clues, and technology is improving, but we cannot be 100% certain what the creatures looked like. There is an explanation of the word dinosaur, and we are shown how to use the book. Each creature has an illustration, a name, a translation, details of when it lived, size comparison, information about diet and a brief description of its background. Over 80 creatures are featured from the Mesozoic Era (252 -66 million years ago),grouped into Triassic, the Jurassic and the Cretaceous. The first double page spread of each period shows all the relevant dinosaurs with a helpful pronunciation guide for each of them and a page reference.
The stylised illustrations jump off the page and portray the oddity of the creatures. The eyes help make the creatures appealing. There is plenty of information but the tone is playful, with jokes and witty comments such as “Cock-a-doodle don’t;” “Don’t sit behind it at the cinema;” “Do you think he saurus?;” “Me standing on a Lego brick;” “Cretaceous can opener” and Pterosaurs had pterrible ptable manners.” There are well-known dinosaurs plus a host of bizarre creatures I had not heard of such as the Hupehsuchus which is close to an iguana crossed with a pelican and a whale, and the Longisquama, “one of prehistory’s greatest show-offs.” Or the Nigersaurus, “a tooth fairy’s dream, with around 500 teeth all positioned at the front of its mouth. These gnashers were ideal for grazing on low-lying vegetation. Each tooth had nine replacement teeth behind it, ready to take over when one eventually wore down or broke, Cha-ching!”
The final pages consider the end of dinosaurs and a helpful index rounds off the book. Highly recommended for age 5+ Informative, eye-catching, well-designed, engaging, playful and great fun. Don’t miss it!
Brenda Marshall
What If... Every Volcano Erupted at Once? And Other Amazing Earth Questions
Emma Young, illus. Super Freak, pub. Dorling Kindersley
Anyone looking to engage young minds in conversations that are both fun and informative should look at this book for inspiration. Across thirty-three double-page chapters, the author explores earth science topics in an engaging and accessible way. Planets, clouds, oceans, rainbows, seasons, and magnetic poles are just a few of the starting points for her observations. Each chapter heading poses a question, which is then answered, offering further scientific and technical information accompanied by fun facts that range from historical to mythological.
Mindful of the age group the book appeals to, measurements are presented not only in standard units but also through memorable comparisons. For example, one litre of seawater contains as much salt as an average chocolate bar, and Mont Blanc is fifty times taller than the Statue of Liberty.
The writing style is energetic and captivating. Every page bursts with illustrations, photographs, and drawings that complement the information, which is broken into small, digestible paragraphs.
This is not a book that will answer every question, but it serves as an excellent prompt to stimulate discussion, foster curiosity, connect different disciplines, and encourage further exploration of the world around us.
Laura Brill