As a homeschooling mom, I love finding beautifully illustrated non-fiction books to share with my children. My oldest daughter also loves learning new information while exploring books. When recently offered the chance to review Great Ports of the World: From New York to Hong Kong written by Mia Cassany and illustrated by Victor Medina from Prestel Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion, I eagerly accepted the opportunity to add a new title to my home library.
Author/Illustrator
Author Mia Cassany currently resides in Barcelona, Spain. She has written numerous books for children including Bucketloads of Friends, Animalkind, and An Atlas of Imaginary Places.
Illustrator Victor Medina currently resides in Madrid, Spain. He was shortlisted for 2017 World Illustration Awards.
Synopsis
Recommended for readers between the ages of 4 and 8 in preschool through third grade, Great Ports of the World: From New York to Hong Kong offers a unique way of looking at and learning about the busiest ports of the world. The fun and informative book teaches about the people, culture, and industry of countries around the world. The beautiful and vibrant 1950s-inspired illustrations take young readers on a journey to ports around the world. The 40-page full-color hardback book measures 9.4 inches by 12.9 inches and currently costs $10.50 on Amazon with a list price of $14.95.
Evaluation
I previously reviewed Bucketloads of Friends by Mia Cassany, so I was excited to check out Great Ports of the World: From New York to Hong Kong. When I first opened the book, I was tickled to see the Port of New York as the first featured location because New York City is my favorite city in the world. Each two-page spread is filled top to bottom with colorful illustrations of the port. Two paragraphs provide fun and educational textual information about each port. As an adult, I quite enjoyed learning the tidbits of information throughout the book.
My oldest daughter, who just finished her second-grade level work, easily read the book on her own with just a little bit of help with the biggest words. My four-year-old preschooler likes looking at the pictures as I read the text aloud to him. My toddler daughter likes to look at the pictures along with her big brother. The biggest draw for me are definitely the illustrations. I absolutely adore the 1950s-inspired style, which gives the book a cool retro feel that is totally in at the moment. I could spend hours poring over the details on each page. Great Ports of the World has found a place on the favorites bookshelf in The Parenting Patch household!
Final Verdict
If you are searching for a non-fiction book full of illustrations to teach your young reader about world ports, look no further than Great Ports of the World: From New York to Hong Kong written by Mia Cassany with illustrations from Victor Medina from Prestel Publishing. Recommended for preschoolers through third-graders, the 40-page full-color hardback book teaches about the people, culture, and industry in port cities around the world through limited text and top-to-bottom illustrations. I especially love the 1950s-inspired illustration style. All three of my children enjoy reading and looking at the book. I therefore definitely recommend Great Ports of the World!
Purchase Great Ports of the World: From New York to Hong Kong on Amazon via my affiliate link.
Image Credits
‘Great Ports of the World: From New York to Hong Kong’ Book Review © 2019 Heather Johnson
Front Cover of ‘Great Ports of the World: From New York to Hong Kong’ © 2019 Heather Johnson
Back Cover of ‘Great Ports of the World: From New York to Hong Kong’ © 2019 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘Great Ports of the World: From New York to Hong Kong’ 1 © 2019 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘Great Ports of the World: From New York to Hong Kong’ 2 © 2019 Heather Johnson