"The Prehistoric Times" was instantly attractive to Charlotte, looking a lot like a kid-friendly newspaper devoted to one of her favourite subjects...DINOSAURS.
Kids love dinosaurs, even older kids like Charlotte and although this book is firmly geared around the 5-8 year old market, it's a fantastically attractive format that I could actually see working for a whole range of books (Note to Frances Lincoln if they're tuning in - do a Tudor Times and you'll make one little girl very happy!)
The book crams so much between its slimline softcovers that you'll wonder quite how they achieved it. In fact that can also be a bit of a detriment in a couple of places where spreads are literally heaving with content. But one thing really did get a big tick from me - seeing those awesome Natural History Museum images of Dinosaurs which (through them featuring in a Ladybird Book years ago) were probably the first images I remember as a tiny kid, the way I was introduced to these stomping chomping behemoths.
Despite the over-busy layouts, it really is a fantastic and innovative reference book and pours on the fun with lots of puzzling and activity ideas to go alongside the facts.
I think if this had come wrapped round a fish and chip supper, that's about the only way I could think of improving it really!
Charlotte's best bit: A glorious glossary of Dino species, something for everyone (which one's YOUR favourite?)
Daddy's favourite bit: Those wonderful Natural History illustrations never get old. Also thoroughly impressed with this original and neat way of presenting non-fiction. Great work as ever from FL!
"The Prehistoric Times" by Stella Gurney, Matthew Hodson and Neave Parker is out now, published by Frances Lincoln Children's Books (Kindly supplied for review).