Planet Earth is an amazing place to live and these first two titles in the "What on Earth?" range explore the power of the wind, and the power of water.
So let's take a look at the first one - which covers the mystical power of the wind. Harnessed for centuries by humans as a power source (we are lucky enough to live near a couple of amazing windmills that are still operational and there's no better sight on a windy day than to see the sails gently turning) the book teaches children what the wind is, how it forms, and what it can be used for.
Through practical experiments and fun activities, kids can find out for themselves what happens when wind hits the sails of a paper windmill or indeed how animals and birds, plants and trees use the wind to their own advantage.
This time the book focuses on the planet's water. With two-thirds of the planet's surface covered in oceans, it's a fascinating look at how water is vital to our lives, how water is again used as a power source, and how creatures in our rivers, lakes, ponds and oceans use water as a habitat, a hunting ground and an amazing place to live.
The quality and presentation of both books is extremely high. Both are small enough for easy handling by youngsters, and each topic is presented with a ton of amazing facts and interesting points for a wide range of ages, encouraging children to take part in experiments and activities of their own to find out more.
We're always championing really great quality non-fiction titles on the blog and both Charlotte and I really enjoyed these two.
"What on Earth? Wind" and "What on Earth? Water" by Isabel Thomas and Paulina Morgan are out now, published by QED (Kindly supplied for review)