London - Not for Parents

December 1, 2011

Gr 4 Up-Incorporating the format of a DK "Eyewitness" book and the irreverence of a history lesson taught by Monty Python, this volume is chock-a-block with facts and trivia about the city. In the spirit of rambling discovery, there is no particular order to the organization. Each page introduces an aspect of London that is either historical (the mystery of Jack the Ripper), cultural (pop music), or iconic (Big Ben). Information about Harry Potter, Brick Lane, the London Eye, and graffiti artist Banksy helps to keep the book from reading simply like a nostalgic retrospective of a city populated by Cockneys and Pearly Kings; it shows London to be a contemporary metropolis still honing its character nearly 2000 years after starting out as a Roman fortified port. A "Want more?" feature at the bottom of each page provides a link to a website for further investigation. In keeping with the tone of the book, the sites are quirky, a little bit touristy, and educational on the sly. The artwork incorporates photographs, cartoons, maps, reproductions of famous paintings and statues, and plenty of voice bubbles. This book is strictly for pleasure, and will certainly be received as such. While proudly declaring that it is not a guidebook, Not-for-Parents London could be used as a checklist for anyone preparing to visit the city (or in need of a Cockney rhyming slang dictionary).-Kara Schaff Dean, Walpole Public Library, MA

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.