This is one of a series of books which focus on (among other things) scientific and historical facts.
This particular book was published in 1994, so has cropped up on numerous occasions. Most recently, it has been used because of Little Miss being involved in looking at homes- her logic is that some people live in castles.
The first question "What were the Middle Ages in the middle of?" sets the scene. There is a large map and some information on what came before and after the Middle Ages. The people and places shown on the map will crop up at some point in the book, and we know what the book is going to focus on, namely historical facts.
The book, like the others in the series, is based around a series of questions; 31 in this instance. The questions are divers but all based on historical facts, and include questions such as "Why did artists break eggs?" "Did people chew gum?" "Why was it hard to tell the time?" There are usually two questions on each double page spread although for some questions, such as "Why did castles have moats?" a whole double page spread is devoted to giving answers to the specific question as well as providing other topic appropriate information. All of the bits of information are accompanied by appropriate child friendly and often humorous illustrations.
As well as the humorous cartoon style illustrations there are also "serious" drawings, showing people like Joan of arc and Robin Hood, with the small bits of text almost being part of the illustrations, and certainly not the main focus. This is great for children reading the text as they are not totally bogged down by copious amounts of text and not inundated with too much information. Where dates are required to illustrate or emphasise some information, they are given almost incidentally (eg about 1000 years ago, in the 1300s); all easier to understand and put into context than if children are given too many specific facts.
There are also humorous facts-such as the Incas tying themselves in knots to remember things and knights looking like tin cans on legs! These are the kind of facts and bits of information which children will usually remember because they are short fun facts.
Right at the back of the book is an index, listing all the names of people and places found in the book, cross referenced with the map at the start of the book- this reminds children that the people and places can be found at the start of the book "What were the Middle ages in the middle of?"
**Other bits of information**
Total pages: 31
Publisher: Kingfisher (1994)
ISBN: 1-85697-222-4
**Price and Availability**
My copy cost £3.99, which shows how long I have had it. The books are available from bookshops but check out amazon (watch out for high postage costs!)
**What I think of the book**
For reluctant readers who have an interested in quirky facts, this book, and the others in the series are a good option. The facts are historically correct but put forward in a short snappy humorous way. There is no need to trawl through pages of quite often dry text to find one but of information which may appeal to a child's imagination.
The pictures are frequently humorous and the text is spaced in different font styles and sizes round the pictures so the text becomes almost incidental. Children will read the small amount of text to find out what the picture is about, and because there is very little information to take in, they are more likely to remember it.
They are great books to increase children's interest in non fictional texts because they are not specifically about one topic, which if the child does not find that topic interesting, the book will get put down. This book has enough information on a range of facts to make it interesting.
As a book to encourage children to ask questions and find out facts, this is good. It's fun, it's factual and I find it's the kind of book children dip into and then tell others what they have found out- the funnier and weirder the better!
Useful for children from about 7, children do use it at their own level, and even very young children who have not yet learnt to read will enjoy finding out about the pictures.
Thanks for reading.
Daniela xx
More details
Degree of Information
High
Evaluate this review
How helpful would this review be to someone making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
This product has not yet been reviewed. 
