As a homeschooling mom, I am always on the lookout for new books to add to our home library. I especially look for educational reference books on topics that interest my children. My preschooler son loves dinosaurs, and my 7-year-old daughter loves dolphins and mermaids, both of which live in the oceans. When recently offered the chance to review 100 Questions About Oceans and 100 Questions About Dinosaurs written and illustrated by Simon Abbott from Peter Pauper Press in exchange for my honest opinion, I eagerly accepted the opportunity to add two new titles to my homeschool library.
Author/Illustrator
Currently residing in Suffolk with his partner Sally and three sons Jack, Nathan, and Alfie, author and illustrator Simon Abbott has designed and illustrated books for children for fifteen years. His bold colors and fun-filled characters are guaranteed to make children smile. His easy style has instant appeal and helps to communicate complex ideas and concepts in a flash. His favorite subjects to draw are smiley snails and funky fish. When not drawing, he likes to run, and he has completed both the London and Barcelona Marathons.
Synopsis
Recommended for children ages 7 and older, both 100 Questions About Oceans and 100 Questions About Dinosaurs are available on Amazon for the list price of $7.99 each. The 48-page full-color hardback books with sturdy sewn bindings measure 9 inches high and 6 inches wide. 100 Questions About Oceans answers 100 questions about the seven seas such as “How deep are the oceans?” and “What creatures live in the oceans?” 100 Questions About Dinosaurs likewise answers 100 questions about prehistoric giants including “When did the dinosaurs live?” and “What made the dinosaurs disappear?” Both books feature bold, colorful illustrations and plenty of jokes to keep young readers engaged.
Evaluation
Reference books are sometimes a little dry to read, so I was excited to see the bright illustrations and funny jokes throughout the pages of 100 Questions About Oceans and 100 Questions About Dinosaurs. As promised, the books are packed with fascinating facts and cartoony illustrations about oceans and dinosaurs. My oldest daughter is 7 years old and can easily read the text without much help. She asked questions about some of the longer words like the dinosaur names, but she pretty much read both books on her own. I too enjoyed sitting down and reading through the pages. I like the format, which allows you to read a few tidbits of information at a time — or the entire book at once if you are so inclined!
My younger two children are currently 4 and 1, so the books are a bit old for both. However, my preschooler son loves dinosaurs and loves learning the dino facts that his older sister tells him as she reads the book. I am especially fond of the jokes throughout the pages. My favorite is “Why did the fungi leave the party? There wasn’t mushroom.” My older two children and I also enjoy the bold illustrations. Learning facts can sometimes feel boring. The colorful and cartoony pictures in the books helps make learning a bit more fun. 100 Questions About Oceans and 100 Questions About Dinosaurs are both new favorites in The Parenting Patch homeschool!
Final Verdict
If you are searching for a new series of reference books, I highly recommend checking out 100 Questions About Oceans and 100 Questions About Dinosaurs written and illustrated by Simon Abbott from Peter Pauper Press. Each 48-page hardback book answers 100 questions about the specified topic. Other books in the series include 100 Books About Outer Space, 100 Questions About Bugs, and 100 Questions About Colonial America. The books are reasonably priced at $7.99 each. My 7-year-old can read most of the information on her own, needing only a little bit of help with the long dinosaur names. Both books are new favorites in our homeschool, and I look forward to more titles from the series.
https://youtu.be/igp4p-K4VA4
Purchase 100 Questions About Oceans and 100 Questions About Dinosaurs on Amazon via my affiliate links.
Image Credits
Answering 100 Questions About Oceans and Dinosaurs: Simon Abbott Book Reviews © 2019 Heather Johnson
Front Covers of ‘100 Questions About Oceans’ and ‘100 Questions About Dinosaurs’ © 2019 Heather Johnson
Back Covers of ‘100 Questions About Oceans’ and ‘100 Questions About Dinosaurs’ © 2019 Heather Johnson
Cover of ‘100 Questions About Oceans’ © 2019 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘100 Questions About Oceans’ 1 © 2019 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘100 Questions About Oceans’ 2 © 2019 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘100 Questions About Oceans’ 3 © 2019 Heather Johnson
Cover of ‘100 Questions About Dinosaurs’ © 2019 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘100 Questions About Dinosaurs’ 1 © 2019 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘100 Questions About Dinosaurs’ 2 © 2019 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘100 Questions About Dinosaurs’ 3 © 2019 Heather Johnson
