As well as liking the periodic table, I do love a map. And, if there’s one thing I like more than a map, it’s a map that displays esoteric data. Not for the first time, DK books has supplied me with a book I didn’t know I needed. What’s Weird on Earth is a book of maps of the world, with each map covered in facts you didn’t know you didn’t know. More than that, they’re facts that you didn’t know that you REALLY wanted to know.
If you want to know where the world’s deadliest food treats are, where all the best mazes are, or where to see a building in the shape of a grand piano, this is the book for you. Like all DK books, it’s bright, engaging, and great fun to flick through. What’s Weird on Earth is looking to immerse children aged 8+ in peculiar geographica.
It’s an atlas with a difference. This book won’t tell you the capital of Poland, the length of the Mississippi, nor the height of Mount Kilimanjaro, but it will tell you which nation has the most children, what would happen if the all the ice caps melted, and where Google’s data center is. You can also find out more about orange snow, where it’s rained frogs and where you might find the Latticed Stinkhorn. It’s that sort of book. (Note: The book will, in fact, tell you the capital of Poland. The inside front cover has a political map of the world. The rear of the book has a physical map. No river lengths though.)
Like many DK books, What’s Weird on Earth is an engaging book for children. By using the weird and downright strange, the book taps into the imaginations of its readers, inspiring them to learn geography, history, and a bit of natural history too.
If I have a criticism of the book it would lie with the “Supernatural” section. Some of the information presented, like the hilarious hoaxes or even places in the world that are considered lucky, is fine, but I’m less happy with the pages about alien sightings and haunted houses. For me, not enough is done to suggest that these are myths. If I was a credulous child, I might conceive that UFOs really have been spotted or that ghosts of dead Presidents actually wander the halls of the White House. Considering the amount of good quality information in the rest of the book, this seems like an oversight and more should have been done to debunk these legends.
Other than this supernatural peeve, I think this is a great book. It reminds me of Lonely Planet’s Not for Parents Travel Book, a firm favorite in our house. Anything that can inspire investigation and interest in the world’s flora, fauna, architecture, or customs can only be a good thing. What’s Weird on Earth is the perfect gift for that child that you have no idea what to buy them. They’re unlikely to have something like it already, and they’re bound to find something of interest within its pages.
You can buy What’s Weird on Earth, here in the US, and here, in the UK.
If you enjoyed this post, don’t forget to check out my other Word Wednesday posts, here.
Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of this book in order to write this review.
This post was last modified on March 29, 2018 7:39 pm
Join me as I attempt to whittle down my ever-growing stacks of books!
This week, one of the most influential actors and musicians on the planet turned 69:…
'The Girl Who Couldn't Lie' brings a 'Liar Liar' vibe to the corridors of a…
One LEGO set to rule them all...
This week it was announced that Nintendo has partnered with children's entertainment platform GoNoodle.
Coll, a boy with limb differences, is the stalwart hero of 'I am Wolf,' a…
This website uses cookies.