Reviews
There are so many incredible books available at the moment that it is impossible to read them all, no matter how hard I try! Here are my thoughts about some of the books I have read and how I think they could be used in school as well as Q and A sessions with authors and illustrators.
History Factopia!
The Factopia! series is excellent fun, connecting a whole host of facts in fantastic- and often unexpected- ways! By following ‘ye olde trail of 400 facts’, readers will discover so many things about the history of the world.
There are so many ways to enjoy the book, making it incredibly accessible and readable. Some will be tempted to read it from cover to cover, fascinated by the bright illustrations and snippets of information. Others will follow the trails laid from one page to another, unearthing the link between a louchaun and Fasil Ghebbi or a cat-sith and the oldest known ghost story.
Light-hearted in tone, these books are perfect for sharing and children are sure to enjoy fact swapping as they discover the weird and wonderful, trivial and tantalising, gross and gripping facts about history they never knew they needed to know!
History Factopia!
Paige Towler, illustrated by Andy Smith
Britannica ISBN: 978-1804660409
You can read my review of Animal Factopia! here and Gross Factopia! here
Blog Tour: Animal FACTopia!
I am delighted to be taking part in the Blog Tour for the latest book in the FACTopia series. These books have been a huge hit with children I’ve shared them with and spark endless curiosity and amazing discussions!
Get ready, because things are about to get wild.
The FACTopia series is back and this time, animals are the stars of the show! As with the previous titles, each fact is linked to the next one, offering the reader many different trails to follow through the book. Information is presented in fascinating, bite-sized chunks, sure to grab the attention of the most reluctant of readers as they can follow as little or as much of each trail as they like! I had no idea that Marine iguanas sneeze out the extra salt they ingest, resulting in a white ‘wig’ or that this fact would lead me to discover that a Komodo dragon could weigh as much as a fridge.
The web of information presented in the book is connected in ways which are often surprising and frequently funny! Information about microscopic crustaceans can lead you to facts about mucus; knowing what a skunk does as a warning before spraying could set you on a path to finding out about fabulous feet. Readers will return to the book again and again to see where one fact might lead them, carefully following one path or veering off on another, intrigued by a passing connection- how information about a cheetah’s tail might link to dragonflies, for example!
Andy Smith’s lively, colourful illustrations cleverly combine with photographs to frame the facts, making each spread really appealing. A comprehensive index makes it easy to locate specific information, but the joy of this book is that any starting point can lead you on an adventure of discovery! All the facts are verified by Britannica and it would be great fun for children to use the facts to create quizzes and games of their own, perhaps making a simplified version for younger siblings or children in younger year groups in school.
Animal FACTopia! Follow the Trail of 400 Beastly Facts
Julie Beer, illustrated by Andy Smith
Britannica Books ISBN: 978-1913750725
Many thanks to Britannica Books for asking me to join the Blog Tour for this fascinating book!
You can read my review of ‘Gross FACTopia!’ here.
Gross FACTopia! Follow the Trail of 400 Foul Facts
Highly entertaining, completely absorbing and utterly disgusting, ‘Gross FACTopia!’ is a brilliant read. Every fact is linked to the next in ingenious ways, creating a trail of information which sometimes branches out allowing the reader to choose their own path through this cornucopia of revolting facts!
The colourful layout of each spread, combining photographs and cartoons, is instantly appealing and the trail of facts linked by dotted lines is easy to follow (or not!), presented in accessible chunks. The book is perfect for dipping in and out of or for inhaling at speed as curiosity and strength of stomach dictate!
Some of the information here is truly disgusting- the sort of facts which children are curious about and yet have that ‘yuck!’ factor like caterpillars which can shoot poo pellets, how one chicken survived a whole year without a head and how the Surinam toad gives birth. Although the table of contents and index allow readers to locate specific facts, this is one of those books best enjoyed by browsing!
‘Gross FACTopia!’ would make an excellent addition to any book corner (home or school) or library as well as being a brilliant stocking filler this Christmas!
Gross FACTopia! Follow the Trail of 400 Foul Facts
Paige Towler, illustrated by Andy Smith
Britannica Books ISBN: 978-1913750671