National Non-Fiction November has been part of the book scene for nearly 15 years years now and its importance has grown dramatically over that time. As chair of judges for the Information Book Award I have been very conscious of the impact that these different projects have on highlighting information books and their importance, not only in studying but also as part of Reading for Pleasure.
This book is not just about the first roller coaster, it also covers a wide range of amazing inventions from skyscrapers to cars, but also including the domestication of wild dogs and the development of fizzy drinks. As you can see from the illustrations, this is intended for lower KS2 readers and shows how learning about things can be enjoyable, as well as informative. There is a
real sense of fun in many of the facts and I particularly enjoyed finding this comment which is very amusing; it is definitely a case of “what goes around, comes around”, as cotton nappies were the norm until the 1980s in the UK; I am sure many people still have memories of the daily task of washing them.
The book is divided into 8 sections, which each focus on a different theme and have titles such as ‘Fun and Games’, ‘Run and Jump’ and ‘High and Mighty’. The contents page is clear and easy to follow and when showing an article about a person, it is actually highlighted, which is very helpful. there are two really useful sections at the back; one of them has information about inventors, many of them from around the world and very young when the first had their ideas, whilst the second gives information about how you can patent your ideas to keep them safe.
With the new report on ‘Reading for Pleasure’ from the National Literacy Trust it is even more important that young people are able to access as wide a range of reading materials as possible. The ability to chose what you read is something that most adults take fore granted, but children are often told that books are ‘too difficult’, ‘too easy’, or even ‘not a real book’. All of these things are likely to put young people off reading for enjoyment. Beautiful, well written and fascinating information books are a large part of the positive support that we can give children in making their reading choices and developing a sense of enquiry and enjoyment. This is one of those great books that people love to just dip into, so that they can impress their friends with weird and wonderful facts, but it can also be used as part of the curriculum when studying STEM topics such as friction, velocity and digital technologies. It is very highly recommended for primary schools.
information on how to find them. That is why National Non-fiction November is so valuable and we should all be very grateful to the Federation of Children’s Book Groups, for all of the work they do in promoting this event.
heard of an Acoustic Biologist before? The book is laid out in a very clear way, with each profession getting a double page spread. The book is based on the idea of a child asking their parent about scientists and what they do, with the mother then talking through a wide range of subjects that are being studied today. The illustrations are in variably sized boxes ( as with graphic novels and comics), so that it is easy to follow and most children will be familiar with the format. The illustrations are brightly coloured and almost cartoon like in their simplicity, but this makes it easy for the very young reader to understand what is going on. The text is also very simple and whilst many children will read this with an adult, it is also suitable for them to read for themselves, especially with the support of the graphics.
lived at different periods in our history. There are many that I have not heard of before, as well as some that have become more prominent in the last few years; thanks to the growth of biographies in the children’s book world. People like David Attenborough are world famous, but I was happy to see another scientist that I became aware of as a child. At the end of the 1950s, before Jacques Cousteau came on the scene , we were introduced to the wonders of the ocean by the divers, Hans and Lotte Hass, so it is lovely to see a mention of Hans in this book. For the young readers reading and listening to the content of this book, these details can act as a springboard towards discovering more about these, often pioneering, scientists.