Beautifully illustrated and bursting with knowledge, Volant and Nuovo’s Ancient Wonders is the perfect companion for any teacher of history, supporting links and connections between different curriculum topics. From the Great Pyramid of Giza to Stone Henge, information is nestled between beautiful illustrations – double-page spreads that bring the book to life with pops of colour and intricately-drawn diagrams that enable the reader to delve deeper into the ancient design and structure.

In its very first pages, the reader is encouraged to embark upon an awe-inspiring journey across the world, exploring ancient wonders and the stories of those who brought them to life. Each of the Seven Wonders of the World is explored in three sections: inspiration, ancient technologies and ‘another wonder’.

The section dedicated to the Temple of Artemis, for example, begins with a stunning illustration and an introduction to its history. Broken down into easy-to-read paragraphs, the book does not favour illustration over information and instead boasts the story of the wonders from conception to the modern day. Following on from its history, the book dives into each wonder’s original inspiration, drawing on ancient mythologies and how many of them are intertwined. The text goes on to explore another similar but lesser-recognised wonder, acknowledging that the initial list of seven is just a sampling of stunning artworks from past civilisations. Additional ‘wonders’ include The Ellora Caves, Emperor Quin’s Terracotta Army and the Nazca Lines.

Ancient Wonders is an impressive and comprehensive non-fiction picture book that children (and adults alike) will love to explore!

Set in the ancient kingdom of Benin, this is both a fascinating insight into an ancient way of life as well as a well-told adventure story.

Ada is twelve and has lived near the rainforest, with her Papa Eze, for as long as she can remember. She knows Papa is not her real family but he’s always looked after her. One day, however, Papa Eze becomes unwell and tells Ada the full story behind her birth and how he came to look after her. Unfortunately, someone else has also discovered the story of Ada’s birth and who Ada is and wishes her harm. Papa Eze realizes that Ada needs to escape the village, so sends her off, with her friend Mbe, on a perilous journey to find both safety and her true identity. Along the way, they meet both new friends and old enemies and go on an adventure of a lifetime.

This would make a perfect class read for KS2 and would fit in beautifully with the National Curriculum topic of Ancient Benin, for which there are not many children’s fiction choices at all available. Complete with a non-fiction section at the end – which we found fascinating – the book provides more information about many things covered in the story, from the history of the tribes featured to more information on their belief systems. All of these provide useful background to the story and could be investigated further in class for those studying the topic.

Whether it’s a curriculum-linked fiction choice or simply a read for pleasure, this is a gripping adventure story that offers something fresh and original to the middle-grade historical fiction market.

This jam-packed information text is written especially for the 2014 National Curriculum and answers a range of questions about early Islamic civilization. Topics in The History Detective Investigates: Early Islamic Civilization include famous inventors, buildings, weapons, warriors and religion.