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The Story of Inventions by Catherine Barr & Steve Williams, illustrated by Amy Husband

The Story of Inventions is just the book for anyone interested in discoveries and uses today. From wheels and lodestones to vaccines and engines, this book is packed with information and illustrations which bring life to the words.

The page on flight, for instance, explains that for many years planes were only used for cargo. But now planes fill our skies carrying people all over the world, making the world a smaller place.

Surprisingly, the idea of computers was first invented in 1830’s with machines to do the maths. By the 1940’s computers were used to crack codes which helped to finish the second world war. Today we would be totally lost without them.

Catherine Barr is well know for her books for Frances Lincoln Publishers; especially The Story of Life and The Story of Space. She has worked for the Natural History Museum, among other places and is a keen author of non fiction titles with enormous appeal. Steve Williams is a biologist, a teacher and beekeeper ,as well as an ardent writer of interesting books for children.

Amy Husband is a talented, award winning illustrator and her illustrations in this book are brilliantly supportive of the text.

A book for me to read this evening and I am sure I will find out and remember much about inventions that I never knew before.

Sue Martin

Bookmonitor is our news source for reviews and project information.

Books go Walkabout is our international books and literacy project - connecting authors and illustrators with children and young people around the globe.

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Grandad Mandela – A special families’ event 15th August 2018

South Africa House - image — The family reading to the audience!

A very special event which raised the profile of this beautiful book, and enabled children to have a voice.

It brought members of the Mandela family into South Africa House, in Trafalgar Square, London. The afternoon was full of significance. The happy family amidst a small group of 30 people, in dark oak panelled walls, of this diplomatic house visited by Nelson Mandela in 1996.

Nelson Mandela is a global icon of peace and forgiveness, a freedom fighter who spent 27 years in prison and went on to be President of South Africa. In 2018 he would have been 100 years old!

Zindzi Mandela, the youngest daughter of Nelson and Winnie Mandela, talked about the need to write this book for children, seen in the eyes of children. Ziwelene and Zazi had questions about their great grandfather and the different world in which he was raised. The book gives a chance for answers to be given, which help in understanding some of the situation at that time.

Zindzi said she wanted to encourage all children to be involved in storytelling, as there is so much beautiful history in South Africa and in where children are today. She asked all the children to find themselves in words, to find their expression in words and she added,

“For many years as black South Africans we were not allowed to have a voice, but now we have a voice. And we won’t stop talking! And we won’t stop writing!”

The High Commissioner for South Africa, Thembi Tambo, spoke highly of the book and work of publishers Lincoln Children’s Books, and also of The Mandela Legacy, which supported the book and also supports many endeavours in enabling people to create, produce and live their lives.

Grandad Mandela - cover image and web lnk — An inspiring story!

“… I can’t imagine a better way to allow children to access information, on their terms. It allows children to discover, in a way that is comfortable for them.”

Thembi praised Zindzi for her struggles in life as a young child and how she had to internalise her fears and her anger and to support her children and grandchildren in this story of Nelson Mandela.

Buy this book - image and web link — …with free delivery!

It was a real privilege for the Books Go Walkabout team to be part of this event. Our book review and blog has been widely read and we hope that it will enable a wider understanding of the struggles of Mandela and South Africa.

Sue Martin

Frida Kahlo at V&A Museum in London

Frida Kahlo - cover image and web link — Start your art journey here…

The V&A Museum in London is holding an exhibition of the work of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

In our Dolphin Book Blog we wrote about the Little People, Big Dreams series of books from Frances Lincoln Children’s Books featuring Frida, and are delighted that this exhibition is taking place. This book can be purchased by clicking on the book cover.

Frida Kahlo was a Mexican artist born in 1907, she painted many portraits, including self-portraits with a strong style and combination of colour, realism and surrealism. Frida was interested in politics and in 1927 joined the communist party, where she met Diego Riviera. Later that year they married and through a tumultuous time they travelled across Mexico and the United States in the 1930’s.

In 1938 Frida had a solo exhibition in The Julien Levy Gallery in New York, which led to other exhibitions, some solo and some with Diego. After an exhibition in Paris, the Louvre purchased one of Frida’s paintings, which was the first Mexican artist to be featured in their collections.

Self-portrait on the Border between Mexico and the United States of America, Frida Kahlo, 1932. © Modern Art International Foundation, Courtesy María and Manuel Reyero.

In 1953, Frida had her first solo exhibition in Mexico, but sadly her health had deteriorated and she died in 1954 at the age of 47. By the 1970’s Frida became a recognised figure in art history and also as an icon for Chicanos, the feminist movement and LGBTQ movement.

The exhibition at the V&A Museum presents an extraordinary collection of personal artefacts and clothing belonging to Frida, which has been locked away for over 50 years. There are also some of her paintings and the chance to see this remarkable style should not be missed.

Sue Martin

10 Reasons To Love A Whale and 10 Reasons To Love A Bear

10 Reasons to love a whale cover image — Buy this book here…

The whale and the bear are the latest books to join the ’10 Reasons to Love’ series. Beautiful books, in hardback with an endearing whale or bear shaped hole in the cover, just waiting to be opened.

The combination of text and illustrations works really well, providing facts and interesting features, things that you will remember.

Did you know that whales are the original globetrotters? They travel from the polar regions to the equator and on their way, eat 40 million krill every day!

10 Reasons to Love a bear cover image — Buy this book here…

Bears wiggle and dance scratching their backs against a tree and pandas even do hand stands to leave the right mark!

The books deal with environmental issues and conservation and enable the reader to understand and love more about the animal. They are a perfect match for school work or just for reading at home.

Catherine Barr is the author, and has a long running interest in environmental campaigns, working with Greenpeace and as an editor at The Natural History Museum.

Hanako Clulow, the illustrator, left Japan for Ireland in 1997 and studied visual arts and English. her art work draws on her huge interest in nature and animal kingdoms.

Lincoln Children’s Books, in conjunction with the Natural History Museum, are the publishers. The first edition came out on March 1st 2018 and we are sure it will have a huge success.

Sue Martin