A History of Just About Everything

July 15, 2013
Unusual for its ambition if nothing else, this selective encyclopedia of "world" historical, cultural and scientific highlights offers at least a few unexpected choices but rarely looks beyond Europe and North America. Arranged in chronological order, the 180 entries begin with the appearance of the first humans ("descended from apes," as the authors inaccurately put it) about 6 million years ago and end with the 2011 earthquake near Japan. In between, they cover inventions from the plow to MP3 files, people from Confucius to Barack Obama, and events of diverse scale, from the "Rise of Greece" to the publication of the first Harry Potter book. Entries fill up a third of a page to a full spread; each features a date (with "BCE" appended for all before the year 1, justified by the optimistic claim that "it is acceptable to all peoples"), and most include both an informally drawn watercolor illustration and a quick, boxed comment on historical "ripples" that spread from the event or invention. This Canadian publication's focus on its own national history is so close (not to mention Eurocentric: "1608: Champlain establishes permanent settlement in Canada") that the American Civil War gets just two quick mentions--which is more notice than most African, Asian and Indian histories or cultures receive. Satisfying fare for the culturally myopic. (index, no bibliography) (Nonfiction. 9-12)

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September 1, 2013

Gr 4-6-This book's time line encompasses a lot of history, 6,000,000 BCE through 2011 (and beyond), and the 120-odd pages do a great job of briefly introducing 180 important historical events. Touching on landmark events (first humans appear, fire is discovered, language and farming are developed, the wheel is invented, Hitler's rise, the Moon landing, the collapse of communism in Europe, 9/11), this is a good place to start when introducing world history to young students. Cartoon illustrations are a softly hued and slightly humorous distraction at times, but more often they help to clarify the text. Colored sidebars titled "Ripples" offer further information or explication. For example, while readers learn about the Magna Carta, the side box explains that King John had no intention of honoring this agreement, but that it "changed England and much of the world forever." A handy chronology divided by subject areas and a complete index round out the presentation. Compact and surprisingly complete, this volume is a superb introduction.-Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine PublicLibrary, WI

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2013
Grades 4-8 This heavily illustrated title takes readers on a whirlwind tour through historical milestones. The entries range in length; some are brief, taking less than a quarter-page, while more significant ones, such as the rise of the Roman Empire, cover a page. Perhaps the most intriguing additions to many entries are text boxes that show each item's long-lasting impact on history. The appealing format of the book lends to the readability. Arranged chronologically, the entries set off the approximate time or exact year and the titles in large, bold font; wavy lines separate entries or text boxes; and Leng's numerous colored illustrations enliven the text. A time line categorizing the items by heading ( Inventions & Discoveries; Science, Mathematics & Medicine; Arts, Architecture & Language; History, Politics & Religion ) places each invention, person, or event in a concise historical context. The detailed index is a useful addition for this title, which will find wide curricular appeal.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)