KEY POINTS:
Much of the non-fiction aimed at children is equally appealing to a much older audience. Often, if I have a choice between an adult or a younger person's version, I will choose the latter.
So I was delighted to see that Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth (Allen and Unwin, $29.99) has been published in a format for young adults.
For time-challenged adults there is no better way to digest the facts and figures than in this generously illustrated book.
This year, when the Dalai Lama visited Auckland, he was presented with a child-oriented biography, the first of its kind, by the New Zealand author Andrew Crowe.
Most people have heard of the Dalai Lama, but how much do we know about his early life and struggles? The Dalai Lama Story (Longacre Press, $29.99) is a respectful and warm account of a courageous and compassionate man. Moving on from the sublime to the scatological - author Nicola Davies introduces Poo, A Natural History of the Unmentionable, with witty illustrations by Neal Layton (Walker Books, $13.99).
Funny and lively, Poo deals with everything about every child's favourite subject. Another subject that is always intriguing is the world of crime and detection.
Alex Frith has written Forensic Science (Usborne, $24.99), which I couldn't stop reading.
It's jam-packed with illustrations and comic strips giving real-life examples of criminals who have been foiled by science. Perfect for reluctant readers of all ages.
One of the most magnificent books I have pored over this year is Egyptology (Five Mile Press, $44.99).
It is the elaborate and beautifully produced story of Miss Sands and her companions during the late 19th and early 20th century as they follow the course of the Nile, discovering treasures of ancient Egypt. The book is a source of discovery, with pull-outs, flaps and concealed mysteries on every page.
It is pleasing to see a local publisher, Scholastic New Zealand, produce a series of five animal books with such high design standards. The photography is superb, and with simple text by Feana Tu'akoi and design by Vasanti Unka, these books, with titles such as What is a fish? What is a mammal? ($16.99), are an outstanding resource for enquiring minds. As an art lover, I am impressed by a series of six books by Lucy Micklethwait which introduce young children to art.
In I Spy Colours in Art (HarperCollins, $24.99), the reader is asked to identify, for example, a white moon in a Magritte painting; and, in I Spy Shapes in Art, to find a heart in a Leger picture.
Much more difficult than you may think. These books are a joy.
- Detours, HoS
