Non-Fiction Book Reviews
A Natural History of Bums
Crab Museum, illus. Inga Ziemele, pub. Wide Eyed Editions
What’s the point of a bum? This is the delightfully cheeky question at the heart of A Natural History of Bums, a rather irreverent look at the part of our anatomy we sit on. Written by the team at the Crab Museum in Margate (aka Ned, Bertie and Chase), Europe’s first and only museum dedicated to the ‘humble decapod’, and vividly illustrated by Latvian illustrator, Inga Ziemele, this is an exuberant guide to evolution, anatomy and adaptation - viewed entirely through the lens of bottoms.
The book takes readers aged 6 to 8 on a playful yet informative journey through the history of life on Earth, starting from one very important evolutionary moment: the development of the bum. Children will discover why bums exist, how they work and how they’ve helped species adapt and thrive. From the first primitive creatures to dinosaurs, mammals and even famous bums in history – think Michelangelo - this book explores the evolution of rear ends in a way that’s both scientific and silly.
The tone is light-hearted but clever, making complex ideas accessible to young readers without losing the fun and the text is brought to life with bright graphical illustrations that are bold, colourful and chaotic. Giggle-worthy facts will keep children entertained while they learn about digestion, waste, survival and the surprising importance of this often-overlooked body part as well as alternative names for this essential aspect of our lives. In short: A Natural History of Bums is a riotous celebration of bottoms with real scientific value -perfect for curious kids (and adults) who enjoy learning with a side of laughter.
Barbara Band
Rachel Lancashire, illus. Jenny Zemanek, pub. Macmillan Children’s Books
I am this book’s target audience, and I can’t imagine a book of this type being done better. I felt I had to say that. I’d have bought this and skipped all the way home. Book professional that I am, however, I’ll be objective. Promise.
This is a substantial gazetteer of our world’s languages. It’s comprehensive in scope (125 are discussed, many more mentioned), full of facts, entertaining oddities and explanations, and locates each language on a clear and characterful map, on a family tree of related languages, and provides it with a profile. The text is exemplary. Plainly-written, unfussy, as technical as it needs to be, as beautiful as a well-made cup of tea. It in no way ever talks down, and is very much in a guidebook style suitable for an adult read.
The art is gorgeous. The matt pages soak up the ink lending the colours depth and warmth. It is everywhere, culturally and geographically relevant to the text around it and in that 70s European woodblock printing style that is so pretty and simplified, yet simultaneously detailed and evocative. Page designs are triumphant, especially the language trees, which should be posters. Ultimately, this is a niche book, but it fills its niche magnificently. It’s a reference work, but also a treasure trove of quirky facts and phrases that can be dipped into for a relaxing browse. The publisher aims this at 7 to 11, but that feels a little reductive. This book is for anyone who likes knowing things. Superb.
Dmytro Bojaniwskyj
The Atlas of Languages: Our Words Around the World
Celtic Myths: Meet the Gods, Creatures and Heroes of Celtic Legend
​Martin Macintyre, illus. Katie Ponder, pub. Dorling Kindersely
This beautifully presented collection offers more than 20 retellings of myths and legends from Celtic tradition, specially written for readers aged 7–9 years although younger children would also enjoy them as read-aloud stories. The book is thoughtfully divided into four themed sections: Heroes, Warriors and Rulers; Love and Loyalty; Magic and Mystery; and Poetry and Places with takes from Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales and Brittany.
Each story is richly illustrated, followed by information pages that provide background details about the characters mentioned such as the origins of their names, their family connections and their sacred symbols. Within its pages, we meet the Hound of Culann who needed three chains to hold him, we learn about the Land of Eternal Youth, the evil fairy of Tara who was defeated by Fionn - the rightful heir to be leader of the Fian, and many more characters. There’s also a clear pronunciation guide, which is particularly helpful given the complexity of many Celtic names. Martin Macintyre’s retellings are engaging yet accessible, making the stories easy for younger readers to follow while still retaining a sense of drama and wonder. Katie Ponder’s illustrations are atmospheric, using a palette of muted colours that complement the tone of the myths and with a striking Art Deco style to them. Additional features include a map of the Celtic lands, a useful glossary and a comprehensive index, all of which add to the book’s educational value.
Part of a wider series from DK, other titles explore Norse, Greek, Egyptian, and Chinese myths, as well as Goddesses and Heroines from Around the World. Celtic Myths is a book that truly brings Celtic legends to life and its high quality production with gold foil cover means it would make a perfect gift for young readers who love history and mythology.
Dmytro Bojaniwskyj
Choose Your Own Evolution
Jules Howard, illus. Gordy Wright, pub. Nosy Crow
You begin as a hungry blob sucking microscopic bacteria directly through your skin, but how you will evolve is up to you!
Choose Your Own Evolution is an educational adventure through millions of years of evolution, where the reader selects what characteristics they would like to develop, gradually evolving into a variety of different species with over fifty possible endings. Sadly, and realistically, it can end in extinction: you can become a Deinosuchus, the largest alligator in the world or an ammonite, dying out, despite being one of the most common sea creatures for 200 million years. Of course, you might survive! On my first adventure I managed to become a whale louse, living off the dead skin of a whale and then more majestically a tiger, after deciding to go it alone whilst a miacid, 55 million years ago. It is fascinating how different adaptations can result in the variety of life on Earth today, but also how changes in the Earth’s climate impacts upon which animals will eventually survive.
The book begins by introducing the process of evolution, providing evidence of evolution, studying fossils and examining DNA, enabling scientists to arrange animals into ‘family’ groups. It acknowledges its own limitations, explaining that the book only illustrates a few of the more amazing steps that scientists think animals have taken, and for practical purposes of the book begins with one creature, a Dickinsonia. Not all life on Earth descended from them. Of course, unlike the reader of this book, animals do not consciously choose how they will evolve, instead going through a process of natural selection.
Essentially there is a page devoted to each animal and an occasional double-spread. The descriptions of the animals, their habitat and how they survive (or don’t) is written imaginatively in the second person using accessible language so the reader feels like they are becoming these animals. The reader’s ‘what’s next’ choices are cryptic, suggestive of possible adaptations, although there are still plenty surprises. Each page is brilliantly illustrated by Gordy Wright, capturing the characteristics of each animal and the double-spreads are particularly stunning, often illustrating the habitat or the variety of a species, such as chickens and dogs.
Whether you choose to follow an evolutionary path or decide to enjoy a more conventional read, there is lots to learn. Choose Your Own Evolution makes learning about natural science fun for everyone.
Simon Barrett
Crazy About Cats
Owen Davey, pub. Flying Eye Books
Owen Davey’s graphic illustrations are one of the highlights and stand out features of this beautifully put together book about the feline kingdom. The visuals are just as much a part of what is being communicated as the words.
For example, there’s an illustrated chart showing the evolution of cats into the eight groups we find today. Each element is represented through an appropriate visual style; the body parts of a cat are clearly labelled on a diagram spanning over a double page spread to make it nice and clear. Towards the end, there is an illustration showing some of the cats next to each other and a human so the reader can get an idea of comparative scale. There is even a life sized illustration of a tiger’s head!
Young nature lovers are bound to be captivated by the bite-sized chunks of information on things like kittens/cubs and representation of cats in mythology. Particularly interesting is the spread of “weird and wonderful” big cat species. This book is packed full of engaging facts and the author is not afraid to get scientific and complex with language but everything is very well explained, giving plenty of learning opportunities to young readers.
Krina Patel-Sage
Diggers, Dozers and Dumpers
Ole Könnecke, pub. Gecko Press
I admit, I was very curious about this one and not just because I knew it would have plenty of quirks, after all that is what author and illustrator Ole Könnecke and Gecko Press are known for with the books they produce. Nor was it the machines that I thought would surely feature. No. My curiosity centred around what a Dozer might be. It did of course cross my mind that it could simply be a machine that had fallen asleep but that did seem a little far-fetched and I am happy to admit to being wrong!
A Dozer is in fact a big machine such as a bulldozer. And speaking of big machines they are all here from excavators to dredgers and cherry pickers, trucks and tippers, carriers and cranes, you can see them all and you can find out more about what they all do. What could be better for curious young minds who love these big vehicles? Blending fact with a touch of fiction this book guides us through the many right (and wrong) ways to use big machines, there are plenty of facts, quite a few funny stories and no doubt some construction workers in the making once this book has been read!
Discover why the Mouse family is using a flatbed truck for their moving day or why Hen things her combine harvester is much better for the lawn than Duck’s mower… And who will you agree with? Watch the Rhinos who have decided to make pancakes in their cement mixer and the dumper depositing children, not sand, into the playground! Packed full of playful fun this is a wonderful collection of fact and potential stories.
Louise Ellis-Barrett
Earth’s BIGGEST Show-Offs
Andy Seed, illus. Sam Caldwell, pub. Happy Yak
I am a huge fan of Andy Seed and this large, robust hardback book demonstrates his flair for pitching information – both in terms of content and presentation – in a way that informs, engages and entertains.
The “Show-Offs” of the title are record-breaking natural wonders from around the world. Every continent is represented. There are sections on High and Mighty – mountains, volcanoes, cliffs, glaciers and icebergs, Wet and Wild – seas, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, hot springs and surf, Deep and Dangerous - canyons, caves, craters and valleys and Vast and Varied deserts, forests, salt flats and sand dunes. The book takes us on a “trip of a lifetime” to places that are spectacular and sensational. I particularly like the quizzes at the start of each section. Each question has two well-chosen answers to choose from which are thought-provoking and fun. The reader is encouraged to turn the pages to see if their answers are right. Information is presented in digestible sections. There are vital facts, bullet points, Top Fives, Head-to-head battles between wonders, small quizzes, Show-Off Ratings, activities, quirky legends, information about wildlife and stories. I did not know that “outbreaks of a polyp-munching beast called the crown of thorns starfish have destroyed large areas of coral in the Great Barrier Reef” or that “the River Amazon carries about one fifth of all the fresh water on Earth”. Or that Lake Hillier is an entirely pink lake in Southern Australia that “looks like a GIANT has squashed some BUBBLEGUM”.
Seed’s humour and lightness of touch engage the reader throughout, and Sam Caldwell’s illustrations are a perfect match. I enjoyed the Perito Moreno Glacier that says it is “cracking up” and the Drakensberg baboon that says “Welcome to my cliffs. Now go home.” My favourites are the polar bears who would rather sleep than be dazzled by the “space disco” of the northern lights. The end of the book is excellent. In “You Choose” we are invited to decide “where to go, what to do, and who to go with as we travel the world in our imagination. I like the Show-Off Map that shows the location of the places featured in the book. There is a clear glossary and a comprehensive index. Awe-inspiring and tremendous fun for anyone over the age of seven. Bravo!
Brenda Marshall
Elements of the Day
Samantha Lewis, illus. Hao Hao, pub. Red Shed
Why is breakfast cereal magnetic? Have you got shark teeth? Can you turn wee into gold? These and many other random, seemingly unrelated questions you’ve never even thought to ask are answered in this mind-bogglingly brilliant book which explores the elements making up our world. Starting with the moment we wake up and ending with the second we drift off to sleep, Elements of the Day explores each element, natural or man-made, which makes life possible. Everything from cars and cakes to toast and toilet paper, soap and stars are explained through a series of engaging stories, fascinating facts and colourful illustrations.
Elements of the Day will change the way you think about the world, demystifying science and making a potentially difficult, abstract concept easy to grasp. As an introduction to the periodic table this book is second-to-none. The intriguing questions, conversational tone and engaging writing style make chemistry ridiculously good fun and enormously relevant.
With a comprehensive glossary and index, this is an outstanding addition to classroom topic boxes in upper KS2 and an essential of every library STEAM collection, up into lower KS3. Packed full of mind blowing facts, it offers something new with each re-read, making it the perfect book for the curious and to spark curiosity. Budding scientists will devour it, science-phobes will discover that maybe science isn’t so terrifying after all!
Eileen Armstrong
The Great Pollination Investigation
​Deborah Hocking, pub. Templar books
This is Deborah Hocking’s debut as an author and illustrator. The quality of the illustrations reflects her well known artistic talent and is combined with the academia of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The text is fact packed and checked for accuracy by their experts, enabling the book to be a significant educational tool. The use of appropriate scientific language wrapped up in an interactive and absorbing pictorial textbook makes it a suitable companion for the primary school science curriculum appealing to a range of ages above 4 and approaching 8/9.
The story starts with a little girl and her two friends who have noticed the beautiful flowers and the bees that buzz around them. Why do they do this and what is this mysterious thing they have heard about called pollination? The story begins with this introduction to pollen and the pollinators, gently moving on to nectar, their reward. Finally, we come to fertilisation with a visit to a supermarket to observe the results of this; along with tips on creating your own pollination investigation, an ideal project to be managed at school or at home, in a garden, on a balcony or doorstep. Fascinating facts are sprinkled into the text to maintain interest. For example, the ultraviolet light patterns on a flower’s petals, visible to many insects but not humans, that direct the pollinators to the nectary to receive their reward. Or the amazing tongue of the Wallace sphinx moth which can reach 28cms into an orchid for the nectar. The equivalent of a human tongue being 6 metres long.
This book will tempt younger children of all abilities and ages. The older and more educationally able will enjoy the accuracy of the scientific language and drawings which provide a gentle nod towards a more academic approach. And the less able will find the pop ups and illustrations bewitching. The author is to be congratulated on the broad appeal that this book will have.
Elizabeth Negus
The Hidden Heroes of Science
Peter Gallivan, illus. Robbie Cathro, pub. Dorling Kindersley
A cleverly engaging history/science hybrid. Do your children enjoy learning about people of significance and their achievements? Are they excited by facts and keen to find out how things came about, such as the Pyramids of Ancient Egypt or the electricity we all use today?
The Hidden Heroes of Science gives an in depth exploration into all of those things and much more. The limited colour palette and expressive style of the illustrations makes this book very visually appealing, perfectly complementing the dynamic storytelling.
With a refreshing focus on typically “hidden” figures such as women and people of colour, this book takes a well-covered area of non-fiction and gives it an interesting twist. Amongst many others, we hear about the innovative engineering feats of Falzur Khan who took inspiration from the hollow structure of bamboo and applied it to steel tubes to construct skyscrapers in the 1970s, this made them stronger and saved on building materials. Another little known revolutionary covered in this book is conservationist and author Rachel Carson who was researching and drawing attention to environmental issues such as the use of pesticides like DDT in agriculture in the early 1960s.
Each of the 20 entries in the book delves deep into the back stories of the scientists, giving details of what inspired their work and any challenges they may have overcome to reach their goals. This element adds to the inspirational tone of the book, as does the “Future Scientist” section that comes at the end of the stories. They are invited to think about who inspired them the most and what they might like to achieve when they’re older. There’s a simple checklist at the end, giving children simple tips on how they can work towards their very own careers in science!
Krina Patel-Sage
Incredible Journeys
Levison Wood, illus. Sam Brewster, pub. Hodder Children’s Books
This book includes around twenty adventures with real-life explorer Levison Wood. He tells the reader about his own adventures and experiences, including his journeys through Central America, the Himalayan Mountains and along the River Nile. There is also a very interesting chapter where he explains how to be an explorer, starting small, being ultra observant, discovering tales of adventure, being curious, getting equipped, pitching a tent and learning how to read a map and a compass. What makes this such an interesting read is the fact that Levison is a real-life explorer and adventurer.
The book is full of brilliant illustrations, with maps highlighting each route. The text is very informative and the whole presentation is exciting, colourful and attractive. It is also a very honest and unbiased account of exploration. For example, it is stated that Christopher Columbus did harm as well as good. His discoveries changed the world, but he did invade and conquer the Americas by force. He took gold, turkeys, pineapples, cocoa beans, coffee beans and tobacco back to Europe. Although welcomed as a hero, he also passed on diseases to the people of America, killing thousands. We often read about the European version of history and exploration, but this account is also an attempt to tell the story from the eyes of those who were invaded. Female explorers are also included, as well as some lesser known explorers, such as Ibn Battuta and Zheng He. This is about discovery, adventure, danger and endurance and many places and people are included. From the Silk Road and medieval pilgrimages to the Holy Land, to trips around the world and more recently to the Moon and to the deepest oceans. The Vikings, the Egyptians, Alexander the Great, Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus, Captain Cook, Magellan, Drake, Scott, Shackleton and Charles Darwin are all included and trips to Africa, the Poles, Mount Everest and the Moon.
The illustrations by Sam Brewster, including fully labelled maps, the great variety of explorers, a very clear contents page and index, all combine to make this an amazing account of world exploration.
Gary Kenworthy
Life (As We Know It)
Ziggy Hanaor, illus. Cristóbal Schmal, pub. Cicada Books
A most unusual book. The cover is intriguing with silver lettering against an evocative blue universe. The book is 64 pages without chapters, and that is appropriate to its subject matter – a constantly evolving story. It starts when everything in the universe was concentrated into a single point, 100,000,000,000,000,000,000 times smaller than a grain of sand. Then we move to the Big Bang and the Universe was born. We are taken through 4.6 billion years of life on earth. The book tells us about the origins of the planet: early life forms and how single-celled organisms developed to become fish, then tetrapod’s before evolving into reptiles. Then came dinosaurs, mammals, hominids and homo sapiens. The reader is shown some of the things humans have done, and the impact some have had on the planet. We are told that “Some life will disappear, but then more life will appear. And then that life will die, and more life will appear.” The end of the book considers our uncertain understanding of our and other possible universes.
The text is minimal and the evocative artwork conveys much of the thought-provoking story. I like the honesty about what we do and do not understand – “And in the water, a miracle occurred. This is not something we understand. This is not something that can yet be explained. This is the miracle. In the water, tiny cells grew that breathed and reproduced. These tiny cells were ALIVE.” Because the subject matter is so vast I find it difficult to give an age recommendation for the book. Young children will gain from it, particularly if it is shared with an adult. Older children and adults will find it an awe-inspiring book.
Brenda Marshall
Magical Miniature Worlds
Ben Newell, illus. Sally Caulwell, pub Dorling Kindersley
Magical Miniature Worlds introduces children to the fun of creating their own terrarium, inspired by eighteen projects in this book from the more realistic – jungles, deserts and mosses – to the imaginative: alien landscapes, prehistoric worlds and fairy villages. The author, Ben Newell, may be a familiar name. He founded Worcester Terrariums and has developed a strong social media presence. Magical Miniature Worlds is his first children’s book, a child-friendly, introductory guide to creating your first terrarium.
Magical Miniature Worlds explains what a terrarium is: there are so many different types of terrarium including more familiar aquarium for fish and aquatic plants, a formicarium or ant farm as well as bioactive terrarium containing soil creatures that munch on decaying matter. The book gives practical advice about tools, different containers, soil and the selection of plants as well as ways to personalize your terrarium, making it your own creation. There are important decisions to be made. Which soils to use and how to layer them. Choosing the right plants depending on whether it is an open or a closed terrarium and hardscaping, such as wood and rocks. Animals must be specially bought for terrariums and need extra care. Then, how to design a terrarium and finally how to maintain one. In so doing children can learn a lot about plants and the natural cycles sustaining our planet.
There is a double page spread for each project with a description of the terrarium and what is inside. It may be necessary to refer back to the previous sections when creating your terrarium for some technical skills or adult help, for example, when taking cuttings of plants. You may also need to buy terrarium specific materials and plants. The book includes photographs of each terrarium, blending with Sally Caulwell’s illustrations to show what a finished terrarium might look like, with annotations giving further help and advice. There are additional suggestions of ways to add interest to your terrarium by finding interesting objects, such as rocks or making something like a volcano.
The projects will appeal to children; however, it seems to me that making a terrarium will involve some thought and planning. A terrarium needs care to encourage plants to grow and over time, be pruned and re-potted.
Simon Barrett
Mysteries of the Human Body: Weird and Wonderful Anatomy Explained
Azmain Chowdhury, illus. Daniel Nelson, pub. Neon Squid
Colourful, accessible, wide-ranging survey of the curiosities of human biology. Very much a front-runner in its category if you have an 8-year-old (or thereabouts) reader who’s interested in having a deeper if somewhat disorganised understanding of how our bodies work and some of the odd and unexpected things they do. The disorganisation works to the book’s advantage. There’s a certain breathless adrenalin to hopping from one tightly-focused topic to the unconnected next, a little like flitting between exhibits in a museum asking, “What does this do?” “And this?” “And what about this?”
I like that, and the simple art is varied in layout and approach, so constantly it’s an exciting read. I think the book’s reached a good balance between technical depth and brevity, leaning heavily into the visuals, not belabouring the words. Altogether classy.
I’m reluctant to give it my full support, however. There seems a little lack of confidence in the intrinsic fascination of the subject, so the book uses ‘Mysteries’ as a hook, and has little cartoon private-eye-styled detectives running around its pages. I think that’s a misfit. If Neon Squid were concerned that the material was not interesting enough in its own right and wished to use a motif, there are several that would have gelled better – or, and my preference, they could have gone a step further with the weirdness of bodies. I’ve concern as well that the gimmick will be off-putting to the older readers in the book’s intended age range. So not quite excellent, but certainly great.
Dmytro Bojaniwskyj
Shevolution: Celebrating Girl Power Throughout History
Lou Treleaven, illus. Petra Braun, pub. Scholastic Children’s Books
Here comes one on the wild and wise She. I love being a woman and I love reading the journey of women, from myth to history to those of contemporary times. In India, women are worshipped as Shakti or power who is multidimensional and I just read one celebrating girl power throughout history.
Shevolution written by Lou Treleaven and illustrated by Petra Braun, tells the story of the emergence of women with Eve as the “mother” of humanity with whom we share our mitochondrial DNA. Lou traces Eve’s birth to Southern Africa and establishes an emotional and scientific connection for the readers through facts and fables. By taking points from archaeological research the writer reminds us that not only men, but women too were hunters and gatherers, priestesses, guides and builders of civilizations. The book is written as ‘Her’-story instead of ‘His’-story and each development is charted in a narrative form with the female gaze. It's like a visual journey of women discovering, fighting, creating, struggling, scheming, achieving and thriving on their own. As we traverse with the writer and the formidable women from history, we get to learn facts about, for example, the rights of ancient women which, in some cases, offered more freedom than today or how female doctors of the Middle Ages could be punished for lack of qualifications.
Such facts and biographical stories of women from different historical ages and the present makes the reader question the prevalent historical narrative. The illustrations are vibrant and pair well with the text. Young kids will love to know that Christine de Pizan received excellent education in the medieval times; Tomoe Gozen fought as a samurai in wars; Anne Boleyn, executed by King Henry VIII was the mother of Queen Elizabeth I of England; Mary Anning became a stupendous palaeontologist in the 19th century. Women are making their marks in sports, scientific research, arts, activism, politics and all the variety of fields despite patriarchy aiming otherwise. An extra special book for a shelf dedicated to women.
Ishika Tiwari
The Tree of Life
Nalini Nadkarni, illus. Kendra Binney, pub. Neon Squid
A most attractive, robust lift-the-flap board book that ‘introduces readers to different tree habitats across the world. The front cover is appealing as it is embossed and shows a range of animals that live in trees. The book features a wide range of trees - the Banyan, the Oak, the Eucalyptus, the Dragon-Blood, the Baobab, the Apple, the Pernambuco, the Dipterocarp and the Coast Redwood.
Each tree has a double-page spread – some are landscape and some are portrait. Information is presented in easily digested sections. The detailed illustrations are superb and repay close observation. My favourite is the koala in the Eucalyptus and the Sykes’ monkey in the Baobab. There is plenty for readers to spot and they can lift the flaps and discover more about the tree and the many species that they support. I did not know that goats are a threat to the Dragon Blood tree, or that despite being more then 90m (300 ft) high, the roots of the Redwood do not “extend very deeply below the earth. Instead, they reach outwards and connect with the roots of nearby trees. This helps to keep them stable.” We learn about the importance of trees to human societies, such as the community of elders who meet in the shade of banyan trees.
In her introduction to the book Dr Nalini Nadkarni explains that her mission is to protect trees and that readers of the book will learn about “the many kinds of animals that know how important trees are in their lives.” An index and glossary are also included enable research. This is a superb introduction to trees and their habitats for readers aged 5 – 8.
Brenda Marshall
The Unexplained: UFOs
Adam Allsuch Boardman, pub. Flying Eye Books
The Unexplained: UFOs is a visually detailed exploration of one of the most captivating mysteries of modern times. Aimed at middle grade readers, this book offers an in-depth look at the phenomenon of UFOs, blending history, science, pop culture and conspiracy theories into a thoroughly engaging read. The book opens by asking the fundamental question: What exactly is an UFO? From there, it leads readers through the history of unexplained aerial sightings, starting with the UFO craze of the 1940s, the infamous Roswell incident and the first use of the term ‘flying saucer.’ The narrative moves into the 1950s, introducing the Giant Rock spacecraft conventions where UFO enthusiasts gathered to share their experiences and theories and the 1960s when civilian UFO associations began to form.
It continues through the latter half of the 20th century, examining themes such as close encounters, the mystery of crop circles and the secretive activities associated with Area 51. High-profile sightings like the Phoenix Lights of 1997 are explored, alongside accounts of government cover-ups and the ongoing debate about the existence of extraterrestrial life. Moving into the 21st century there’s a look at SETI, the scientific search for intelligent life beyond Earth. Packed with retro-style graphic illustrations that evoke the classic science fiction imagery of the 1950s while still feeling fresh and accessible to today’s readers, the pages are filled with detailed drawings, diagrams and schematics that explain different types of alien life, the variety of reported UFO shapes and the locations of famous sightings. These visuals not only break up the text but also help readers engage with the material in an interactive way, exploring the boundary between mystery, evidence and belief.
Overall, this is an excellent resource for young readers interested in space, mysteries and the unknown. It presents the topic with depth and balance, managing to be both educational and entertaining. With its rich illustrations and well-researched content, this book is a valuable addition to school libraries and classroom collections, perfect for sparking curiosity and discussion in students from Years 6 to 9.
Barbara Band
The Water Flower: The Journey of a Lotus Seed
Yingting Chen, illus. Huaqing, pub. Post Wave Books
The peace and serenity embedded in the pages of this book is zen to say the least. This rainy season in India, I have with me The Water Flower written by Yingting Chen and illustrated by Huaqing. The water coloured botanical art on the journey of a Lotus flower is calming on one hand and informative on the other.
The seed germinates in the season of Spring, Summer brings forth the flower bud and the flower begins a slow dance to the rhythms of the sun - opening, closing, swaying in the warming breeze of summer and then with Autumn and winter consequently the shedding of seeds takes place till the Zephyr blows again and another of the sleeping Lotus blooms in its full glory. The writer versifies this process of birth and rebirth by saying-
“Spring is here. Crack! The seed wakes from its slumber. Its hard shell splits open and the tiny tips of young leaves poke out, straining to break free… …As spring arrives again, the little seed stirs… …ready to begin its journey anew.”
This beautiful book can be kept as a keepsake by lovers of botanical art or can be read and relished by children and adults alike, as we wade through the world of hyperstimulation, such reads come in as a meditative guide away from digital chaos, leading us towards the workings of nature and also of life metaphorically, in the quietude and turmoil of seasons, with the promise of fruition when the time is right.
Ishika Tiwari
