DK is one of my favorite publishers. They put out a lot of books that have relevance to geek culture and the layouts are gorgeous and the information on the pages is always organized just perfectly. They are great for visual learners and always packed full of trivia and little tidbits that make learning about a subject come to life. Here are four titles that have recently come out or will be on bookshelves soon.
Batman Arkham Universe The Ultimate Visual Guide
I’m a little embarrassed to admit the number of hours I spent beating back Gotham’s villains this summer, working my way toward 100% completion. It was worth it, though: Arkham Knight completes one of my favorite game trilogies in spectacular fashion. It was gorgeous and the gameplay was great. In similar fashion, this book rises to the standard created in the game. The book covers every Batsuit and gadget from Wayne Tech, the Gothic and art deco urban locations of Gotham City, the handful of allies assisting the caped crusader, and each and every twisted and depraved enemy in the Arkham trilogy of games. There are gorgeous multi-page spreads featuring art from the game and a handful of extras like a timeline covering the trilogy and a section given to the often overlooked henchmen of the Arkham universe. This book is a must-have for Batman fans.
LEGO Awesome Ideas
Earlier this summer, we had the exclusive reveal of this book’s cover, a follow-up to a very popular collection of building ideas for LEGO fans. Well, Awesome Ideas is on bookshelves now and it surpasses the excellence of the first book. The ideas are broken out into five categories: Outer Space, Modern Metropolis, The Wild West, Fantasy Land, and The Real World. Within each chapter, there are dozens of ideas for models you can build from your LEGO bricks. One of the things I liked best about this book was the way each section was laid out. For example, there might be a spread or two that shows you how build a model like metropolitan buildings. Following those pages are “what else you can build” that have ideas that spark the imagination with models that are just different enough to challenge builders to grow. Even better, following these pages might be a section called “builder’s secrets” that gives the reader some “brick tricks” and great hints for constructing your own designs. Other sections include “showstopper” models that are really impressive. LEGO is about exploring creativity and Awesome Ideas gives you hundreds of jumping off points to your own creations.
SENSEational Illusions
Part of learning for kids is being fooled when learning about the limits of their senses. SENSEational Illusions not only teaches children about their senses, but provides dozens of illusions that explore the limits of our senses. Each of the senses is put to the test in this book, which provides experiments that kids can carry out, and then provides the science behind why their senses were fooled. And it’s not just text and pictures. SENSEational Illusions is an interactive book with a 3D maze, pop-up elements, scratch-and-sniff panels, and more. There’s plenty to do – and learn – in this book.
The Disney Book
For more than 90 years, Disney has brought magic to life through movies, amusement parks, television, attractions, and more. The Disney Book is a visual examination, exploration, and celebration of everything Disney. It begins with a 10-page timeline, looking at Disney through the ages, before moving into a history of the company and the evolution of their animation. The major movies get a sharper focus, but with storylines that focus on the unique work ethic and attention to detail that go into everything they do. It’s not just animation either, the book spends a good bit of time looking at live action features, as well. There are photos of seldom-seen props, early merchandise, a behind the scenes look at the Haunted Mansion, and a special section just for Easter eggs in their movies. Like Disney, it’s all very enjoyable.
Disclosure: GeekDad received copies of these books for the purpose of review.
