THE ULTIMATE BOOK OF WATER
By: Anne-Sophie Baumann and Arnaud Lemaistre
Illustrated: Vanessa Robidou
Published: April 26, 2022
Publisher: Twirl
Non-Fiction
Water is one of our most important resources as it is required for every living thing on our planet. This super-sized interactive book includes over sixty features from pop-ups to mini books to pull tabs to spinning wheels and more to keep kids engaged and learning on every page. There are guaranteed to be exclamations of awe and excitement as kids travel through the activities and learn through the pages of this book.
I especially loved the interactive globe that shows the earth 20,000 years ago, then today, and then a future representation in 2100. I noticed the biggest difference from the past to today in the Arctic region with much fewer glaciers and ice sheets today. There hasn’t been much of a change in the Antarctic region until you look at 2100, where most of the Arctic glaciers and ice sheets are missing and the Antarctic is much smaller. Of course, the future is based on predictions from scientists and there is a lot yet to learn, but it is still concerning as you think about the glaciers melting and the oceans rising.
One whole page spread is dedicated to the water cycle of condensation, precipitation, and evaporation. A large pop-up on the page, flaps, pull tabs and numerous numbered facts teach kids the whole process.
The Water in Living Things page features a boy eating watermelon and then kids can pull the tab to watch the watermelon in the digestion process. Since I don’t live anywhere near a desert, I found a lot to learn about the plants and animals that survive on very little water both in the United States and around the world. I especially loved the Rose of Jericho, a plant that turns brown and folds into a ball, and then once it rains, opens up and turns green again.
I bet kids will find the Water Treatment pages quite neat as they can imagine how their own water and wastewater are transferred through their community. Now that my husband is the mayor, he had to learn about our own water treatment in our town and found it extremely fascinating.
The book ends with a reminder that water is our most abundant resource and needs to be cared for to make sure future generations have access to clean water. By lifting the flaps of potential issues related to water accessibility kids will see ways to conserve water in their homes and communities. Even though this is quite a large, heavy book, it is packed full of educational information and with the interactive features, kids will find reading and learning about water to be quite enjoyable.
Anne-Sophie Baumann studied science and literature before becoming an editor and author. She lives near Paris, France.
Vanessa Robidou‘s illustrations can be found in various media and in many children’s books. The winner of the 2016 Young Talent Award at the Quai des Bulles festival, she lives in Rennes, France.
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Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to make a purchase through the above links, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.
Posted Under Anne Sophie Baumann, Arnaud Lemaistre, Book Review, Children's books, non-fiction, Ultimate Books, Vanessa Robidou, water