BooksforTopics Reading for Pleasure Recommendations
Book Title: Atlas of Adventures: Wonders of the World (available here)
Author: Ben Handicott
Illustrator: Lucy Letherland
Publisher: Wide Eyed Editions
Publication Date: October 2018
Reviewed By: Louise Buisson, Primary English Leader
The first thing that strikes you about this book is the size and weight of it. As an almost A3 sized and hard back book, it is akin to opening up a chest of treasures for a child reading it and it does indeed contain details of treasures from all around the world.
The book is dedicated to exploring natural and man-made wonders from around the globe. It is split into a section for each continent and features well known sights such as the Eiffel Tower, Kilauea volcano and the Great Pyramid of Giza, as well as those which children may not know about like Neuschwanstein Castle or the Great Mosque of Djenne.
Each double-page spread features a beautiful illustration of the featured ‘wonder’ accompanied by a section of text explaining its significance and history. The style of writing is engaging to children and addresses the reader directly. In addition to this, there are smaller chunks of text dotted around the illustration, each of which shares fascinating facts about the place and people associated with it. The language used is accessible but will also expand the children’s vocabulary.
This book could be used to model non-fiction writing and explore some of the famous sights of each continent. It also inspires child-led learning as the information and engaging style leaves them wanting to find out more about the places and people concerned. It has certainly garnered a lot of interest in my Year Four classroom!
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You can order Atlas of Adventures: Wonders of the World online or from your local bookshop or library.
Many thanks to the publisher for sending us a review copy of this book and to Louise Buisson for reviewing it.