August 2011

This is very much an initial list of books.  I hope it will be a useful resource for teachers and librarians for the Middle Years Programme Areas of Interaction of the International Baccalaureate.  I have tried to choose books which do not have a narrow focus but which are transdisciplinary in concept.  Many of them have a global perspective and many fit into a number of Areas of Interaction.  The list will gradually be added to and improved as I have time to consider more books and as I get more feedback from teachers and librarians.  I have divided the list into the five areas of interaction (though I realise that there can be considerable overlap between various themes.)  I have given an indication of reading levels for each of the titles.   Please contact me if you would like recommendations for books on specific subject areas, and at a particular age level.

Please Note   All prices are in Australian dollars and include the 10% GST tax.  However this GST does not apply to exports from Australia.

If you would like to order any of the books on the list, send the orders to Austral Ed by post, fax or by email.  Payment can be made with bank cheques in Australian dollars, by direct bank transfer or by Credit card.   Freight is sent by the most economical method within Australia or overseas, depending on urgency. 

Recommended by Kate Shepherd

Approaches to Learning

Blame My Brain by Nicola Morgan  pb   9781406311167  $17.95
New scientific research points to real biological reasons behind the behaviour of teenagers - their mood swings, their risk-taking and difficulties with learning.  As the mother and teacher of teenagers and also a writer for teenagers, Nicola Morgan brings an extremely interesting mixture of scientific knowledge which she has related to the social context of teenage behaviour.  During the teenage years, the brain undergoes great changes, especially to the cortex and it is these changes that scientists believe that produce much of the erratic behaviour that teenagers are renowned for.  Nicola Morgan discusses these and she has many suggestions which will help teenagers deal with powerful changing emotions, erratic sleep patterns, difficulties with learning, depression and other problems.  There are a number of quizzes about aspects of personality and a very interesting discussion of the differences between girls and boys.  This is an extremely informative and entertaining book.  At times it is very funny and I think teenagers, parents and teachers will all find it very useful to help them understand why teenagers can behave so erratically at times.    (11 years up)

• Know Your Brain: Feel It, Test It, Stretch It  pb   9781406304152  $17.95

In this book Nicola Morgan continues talking in a very conversational tone about the amazing qualities of the human brain and how it differs from animal brains.  She talks about things we can do to make our brains even more brilliant and lists things that can damage our brains.  She discusses in detail the different types of intelligences, how we can recognise where our skills lie.  She also gives examples of people who did not do well at school or did not fit in well but were great success later in life.  (Dr Seuss apparently was voted the student least likely to succeed.)   She includes a number of quizzes and tests to discover the strengths and weaknesses of our brains and also training in remembering facts and in how to concentrate.  There are also tests to find out which learning style is best suited for each person and then activities to develop these further.  The tone is always conversational, the subject matter is informative, interesting and often humorous.   This book will be extremely helpful for students interested in understanding how their brains work and how they can improve its capacity and performance.     (11 years up)

Think of a Number by Johnny Ball   pb 9781405358026    $16.95
This is fascinating look at the world of numbers.   Those students that love numbers will love it whereas others (like me) will get lost fairly quickly.  However it covers a wide range of information about history of numbers, magic numbers, shapes and the world of maths in a very lively and inviting format and shows the amazing complexity of the world of numbers.  There are many tricks and mazes and mathematical problems.  (10 years up)

Community and Service

Children of the Tusnami :  Khao Lak – A story of Hope  compiled by the students of Bangkok Patana School  edited by Robin Nagy     hardback 9789749363119  $30.00 

Any schools involved with community service will be very interested in this project undertaken by 52 senior students of the Bankok Patana School in Thailand to help the children of Khao Lak, a coastal village in Thailand.  The community at Khao Lak was shattered by the effect of the tsunami which devastated so many regions in South East Asia in 2004.  The students collected stories, poems and illustrations drawn by the children of Khao Lak and they also took photographs of the children and of their village and put them together in a beautifully presented hardback book.  It is a very moving tribute to the children and their courage in re-building their lives.    All proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the education and schooling of the children in Khao Lak.  It can be purchased directly from Macmillan Education in Australia, from the Bangkok Patana School in Thailand or through Austral Ed.    (10 years up)

Children’s Rights series pb $24.95 each title 

Education  9780237537722

Health   9780237537739Home                 9780237537746                                         

Safety   9780237537753

Voice   9780237537760
These five titles have been published in conjunction with Save the Children Fund. Each title begins with a brief explanation of how Children’s Rights were first proposed in 1919 but were not accepted as International Law till 1989 at the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child.  In addition to a general introduction to each subject, each book has individual portraits of particular children from different countries throughout the world. There is also discussion of the various rights that should be provided under each of the headings of home, safety, education, health and voice and as a result the reader gains a good idea of how many childhood rights are regularly violated and the many problems involved.  However many positive individual stories of cases where children’s rights have been improved are also included.     (10 - 14 years)

Tough Stuff: True Stories about Kids and Courage by Kirsty Murray  pb  9781864489293  $15.95
A fast paced and inviting collection of short stories about children who have done amazing things.  It includes the story of Iqbal Masih the 12 year old bonded carpet maker from Pakistan who led a movement for children’s rights, as well as stories about exceptional children including those who saved lives, or were geniuses, earned a fortune or survived war and oppression.   (9 - 14 years)

*Global Citizenship by Susan Watson (Macmillan World Library)  hardback 9781420269512 $49.99 nett
This was originally published as seven individual titles:  Global Citizens, Making Global Connections, Improving the Quality of Life, Protecting Global Environments, Respecting Cultural Differences, Understanding Human Values and Valuing World Heritage.  This 2009 edition has been revised and updated from the original 2003 titles.  I am often asked for books with information relating to these topics and so I am delighted that it is available again.  It focuses on the roles, rights, responsibilities and relationships of citizens living in a global world. Each book is well set out and information is presented in an accessible way making good use of charts, maps, photos, and examples are given of particular children or adults.  The books also emphasise what action children can take themselves.   (9 – 14 years)    

Three Cups of Tea (Young Readers’ Edition)  by Greg Mortenson  & David Oliver Relin adapted by Sarah Thompson  pb 9780143304630  $19.95

The adult version of this book Three Cups of Tea pb 9780141034263  $26.95 has been extremely popular and well known since it was first published some years ago.  It is the remarkable story of a mountaineer who in 1993 after a disastrous attempt to climb K2, wandered exhausted and dehydrated into an impoverished village in Pakistan.  There the villagers nursed Greg back to health and he was so moved by their kindness that he vowed to return and build a school for their children.  That happened in 1993 and since then he has set up a fund and built over 60 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.  The Young Readers’ Edition also called Three Cups of Tea  pb 9780143304630 $19.95 has many photographs of children from the villages and also of his own family who have also become very involved with this endeavour.  There are also maps and a question and answer section with Greg’s daughter Amira and a Timeline and a Glossary.  Children will find it an inspiring story.       (9 – 14 years) 

Stones into Schools (written by Greg Mortenson with Mike Bryan) pb 9780141047140  $26.95.  This is the sequel to Three Cups of Tea in that it follows chronologically from where that book ended and so it goes from 2003 to the end of 2009.  In many ways I found this book even more fascinating because of the descriptions of the men who work with Greg and Pakistan and also in Afghanistan and how they achieve such amazing results.  The logistics of getting schools built and then staffed in remote areas of Pakistan is difficult enough but in remote areas of Afghanistan the challenges are mind-boggling!  The story of how a school was built in the extraordinarily remote area of Bozai Gumbaz in Wakhan Corridor in north eastern Afghanistan reads like a thriller as they race to get building materials by yak into the village across difficult snow covered mountain passes before the winter encroaches and the whole area is totally cut off for many months.   (12 up)

Human Ingenuity

Culture in series  by Melanie Guile  hardback $29.95             

Culture in India        9781740701792

Culture in Malaysia  9781740701815

Culture in Thailand  9781740701327

These books provide a good introduction to the discussion of what is culture and how is it expressed in these countries.  It examines the ways in which people identify themselves through language, social customs and habits as well as traditions of art, craft, dance, music and spiritual belief.  They also look at the different cultures of various ethnic groups within each country.    (9 – 14 years)

The Usborne Introduction to Archaeology - Internet-Linked  by Abigail Wheatley and Struan Reid  hardback   9780746094976 $25.00     Published in 2004.

This very interesting book looks at examples of famous archaeological excavations round the world by continent.   It also describes how archaeologists work and some the difficulties they face when excavating sites, whether underground or underwater.   It discusses some of the painstaking detective work necessary and also some of the latest technological advances in dating, conserving and reconstructing the past.   (10 – 16 years)           

Who’s in Charge?  How people and ideas make the world go round  Foreword by Andrew Marr  hardback 9781405350693  $24.95

The world of politics is complicated and often seems very messy.  This book is excellent in that it sets out the various elements of political structure and ideas and gives simple, interesting explanations in a format that is lively and eye-catching but also makes the explanations easier to understand.  In fact I found it so interesting in its examples that I found myself reading many sections in full.  The book is divided into sections called Taking Charge, Take me to your Leader, The big Ideas, and People and Politics.  The book also includes discussion of the various political systems over the years and in various countries throughout the world.  It is an extremely informative and useful book.  (11 – 17 years) 

DK Eyewitness Economy by Johnny Acton and David Goldblatt  pb 9781405345361  $20.00

This is an excellent introduction to the complex workings of the economy.  It gives straightforward explanations as to how money came to be used in societies round the world and how, from simple beginnings, complex institutions as banks, shares, trade, inflation, speculation etc have come about.  The emphasis is on how the world economy has developed and how it works now.   There is even a section on aid to developing countries and examples of which aid works best.    As usual with Eyewitness titles the design and use of photos and paintings is excellent.  The many graphs and diagrams also help understand some of the more complex terms.  A Timeline, Glossary, Index and CD clipart and a giant wall chart are also included. Published 2010  (11 – 17 years)

What Goes on in my HEAD?  How your Brain works and why you do what you do by Robert Winston  hardback 9781405353731 $29.95

Published just in 2010, this is another very interesting book from DK about the most complicated and mysterious part of the human body.  The book introduces the history of discoveries about the brain as well as discussing the various parts of the brain,  There are sections on how the brain and the body work together, how we think and this includes consciousness and our unique personalities, on our feelings and emotions and on the power of the brain, especially relating to language and memory.  The book has great design, thought-provoking text as well as some interesting tests and activities.  (11 – 16 years)

Vote: Eyewitness Guide by Philip Steele  pb 9781405328432  $20.00 

Published in 2008, this is an up to date look at how democracy has evolved over thousands of years and how it works in countries throughout the world.  The many photographs and appealing format make this an inviting introduction to the study of democracy.  The book contains a Timeline of Democracy, an A – Z of famous people involved with the history of voting and democracy, a glossary, an index and also a wall chart and a Clip Art CD.  A very helpful book.    (12 – 15 years) 

Political and Economic Systems series hardback $39.95

Published in 2008, this is a series which has been extensively revised and updated.  Gives the historical background to rise of democracy and examples of nations with a democratic system of government historically and recently.   Looks at how the democratic system can be applied to the global community. Discusses strengths and weakness of various systems.  There are many photos, maps and diagrams, as well as a timeline, glossary and index.

Other titles in this series are:

Capitalism      9780431191737

Communism  9780431191720

Democracy     9780431191713

Dictatorship   9780431191683

Fascism          9780431191706

History of Democracy  by Carmel Reilly  hardback   9781740705783  $29.95

This is one of the titles in the series called Democracy, published in 2009.   It provides an interesting introduction to the beginnings of democracy in Greece and how democracy slowly developed again in the UK and then how it was shaped by the Revolutions in the US and also in France in the 1700s.  

Democracy Around the World looks at Democracy and how it works in the UK, the USA, France, Argentina and South Africa.   Each book contains a timeline, glossary and index and is clearly set out with diagrams, illustrations, photos and maps.  A very informative and interesting series for upper primary to lower secondary. 

All the titles in this series Democracy:

History of Democracy  9781740705783

Democracy Around the World  9781740705806 

Citizenship   9781740705813

The Australian Democracy   9781740705790    hardback $29.95 each

Slavery: Real People and their stories of Enslavement  by Reg Grant  hardback 9781405336703  $45.00  This is a fascinating history.  There is a huge amount of information but the text is interesting and there is an absolute wealth of photos, paintings. illustrations, maps, graphs, timelines and graphic materials which helps make the information come to life.  There is also a detailed Glossary and Index.   This is the history of slavery and its role in the making of the modern world, from Ancient Times to the present day.  It describes how thinkers in Ancient Greece believed that a free life for some was only possible through the enslavement of others.  Slaves either captured by war or traded were used extensively.  Aristotle compared them to tame animals “some men are by nature slaves and that to keep them as slaves is not just advantageous but right.”  There are detailed descriptions of the slave trade from Africa to various parts of the Americas and also elsewhere in the world.  The many extracts from letters and accounts from slaves, trader, owners and abolitionists make the descriptions of events vivid.  The role of slavery in the American Civil War is also discussed and the work of the Abolitionists especially in the UK.  It is a vast subject and it takes into account the history, economics, trade and also politics.  However it looks at the topic especially from the point of view of those enslaved and their suffering and the fight for justice.   (12  years up)

Smart Young Consumers series

*  Consumer Choices by Garry Chapman and Gary Hodges  hardback $31.95

I have been asked a number of times for books on shopping or consumerism and there is very little for children.  This series could be a helpful introduction since it deals with the ways young people are targeted by advertisers.  It discusses disposal income and ways to work out how to spend money responsibly.   There is also discussion of smart shopping and recent trends in technology and communication and suggestions of how scams and exploitations can be avoided.  Published in 2008.  The level of text is set at a young age for the topics discussed.  Titles in the series are:

Consumer Choices 9781420264807   

Managing Money   9781420264821 

Consumer Rights and Responsibilities              9781420264838                 (10 – 13 years)

Global Village

Trade by Rob Bowden  hardback  9780237532697    $39.95

I was attracted to this series because there is so little available for middle years students on Trade and Travel and Tourism in particular.  This book attempts to give some idea of the complexities of the issues behind the globalization of trade and any attempts to make trade more equitable.  There are comments from a variety of people involved, and an attempt to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of worldwide trade.  Many charts and graphs and included.   Overall the series attempts to discuss whether a balance can be achieved between the expansion of global activities and preserving the interests of individual countries.  Published in 2008.   Titles in the series are:

Aid and development   9780237532703

Food and farming          9780237532741

Migration and Refugees   9780237532727

Natural Resources        9780237532734

Trade                         9780237532697

Travel and Tourism   9780237532710              hardback $39.95 each      (11 – 16 years)

• Stocks and Shares: World Economy Explained series  by Sean Connolly  hardback   9781445100418  $37.99  (published 2010)

The world of stock and shares is bewildering for many people but there are very few books which explain for secondary students how stock markets work and how they have evolved into a global economic system.  This book gives the background to the current economic problems and explains some of the causes and effects of the current financial problems facing many people and countries round the world.   Written in clear, easily understood language, it is an extremely useful introduction to a very complex topic.  It contains a glossary and an Index.  The full range of titles in the series are:

Banks and Banking    9781445100401

Money and Credit   9781445100456

Insurance         9781445100425

International Aid and Loans  9781445100449

International Trade    9781445100432

Stocks and Shares    9781445100418                 hardback $39.00   (12 –16 years)

1,000 Inventions and Discoveries by Roger Bridgman  DK in association with the Science Museum (UK)  pb 9781405314190   $33.00

This book is so much more meaningful than I would have imagined because of the way Bridgman has organised this subject.  The inventions and discoveries are arranged chronologically and so there is an explanation of how these discoveries have changed over time (from the Stone Age to very Modern Times) and it also becomes very clear how the speed of invention has accelerated greatly over the past fifty years or so.  From time to time two additional pages explain in more detail some of the changes happening throughout the world for example in agriculture or in writing systems or monumental inventions such as the first printing press of the telephone.  Inventions such as the magnetic compass, gunpowder and paper from China are also acknowledged.  Many inventions are so much more interesting when we can see how they have developed over time.  A quick reference time-line across the bottom of some pages gives an instant overview of events in the world at that time.  There are many photos and paintings of examples of the 1,000 inventions and discoveries over the years.  (9 – 16 years)

The Way Things Work by David Macaulay with Neil Ardley  pb   9781405302388  $45.00    (published 2004)
It is wonderful to see this exceptional book back in print in a revised edition.  The book is inspired because as well as detailed a detailed description of the working of hundreds of machines and the principles behind their technology, Macaulay also uses extremely funny illustrations and descriptions of mammoths from prehistoric times to give further examples of the various principles.  It is most surprising to find a book which combines humour and science and especially with such flair.  The machines described in the book are grouped according to the principles that make different machines work, rather than by their uses.  There are sections on The Mechanics of Movement, Harnessing the Elements, Working with Waves, Electricity and Automation, The Digital Domain and The Invention of Machines.  (9 – 15 years)

Can you feel the Force? by Richard Hammond  pb 9781405358064  $16.95
A dynamic and extremely interestingly presented book about Physics and the forces which make our world the way it is.  Hammond has a lively and exciting way of talking about forces.  He describes Newton’s laws by demonstrating what happens when you go for a ride on your bike.  He gives some of the history behind efforts to understand the problem and gives examples demonstrating its use. Looks at the composition of Matter and also discusses Light and its many complexities and mysteries.  (9 – 15 years)     

Evolution Revolution: From Darwin to DNA  by Robert Winston  hardback 9781405337199   $28.00   (2009)

This book is extremely well set out and covers a huge range of information in an entertaining way.  The book begins with creation stories and then with a discussion of theories that developed in the 1700s and 1800s as scientists questioned the belief that God had created all the species exactly as they appeared.  There is detailed description of Darwin’s notes and research over 20 years, and the events that led to his publishing of his ideas on natural selection.  The last two chapters look at the effect of the study of genetics on Darwin’s natural selection theory and a discussion of evolution in action over the millennia and how we can see it still evolving.  There is a huge range of photos, diagrams, graphs and illustrations and also a comprehensive Index and Glossary.    (9 – 14 years)             

The Time Book:  A Brief History from Lunar Calendars to Atomic Clocks  by Martin Jenkins illustrated by Richard Holland  hardback   9781406304060  $32.95   pb 9781406323733   $17.95   (2009)

This book reads like a discussion of time.  The book is divided into chapters and begins with a discussion of why different cultures over the millennia have found it so difficult to make an accurate calendar.  Various calendars are discussed and in particular the peculiarities of the Roman calendar and the effect this has had on other calendars.  Jenkins looks at time measuring devices and their accuracy and the earliest clocks used by Egyptians, Romans and the Chinese.  His discussion on the social effects of more accurate timekeeping had on society is fascinating. The final chapter asks if we really understand time and discusses some very strange phenomena and what happens to time when we travel at the speed of light.   The illustrations are sometimes whimsical and there are graphs and representations of specific machines.   Browsing through this book would be assisted by the very comprehensive index.   (12 – 16 years)

Einstein’s Theories of Relativity (Milestones in Modern science series) by Alan Morton 9780237526299  pb  $29.95      This is an extremely interesting book which combines fascinating background about Einstein’s life with historical information about what was accepted regarding the laws of Physics prior to Einstein’s theories.  It explains what relativity is and goes on to investigating the theories of Special and general relativity.   After reading this book, I still don’t understand Einstein’s Theories of Relativity but I do have an understanding of how the ideas developed, as well as their impact at the time and their huge importance in later scientific developments.  Many fascinating photographs and illustrations as well as quotes from Einstein add to the interest of the book and to its comprehension.  There is also a Timeline, Glossary and Index.   (13 years up)
Other titles in the series are:

The Discovery of DNA         9780237526275

The Discovery of Penicillin  9780237527396   (hardback only $38.50)

Einstein’s Theories of Relativity                            9780237526299

The First Computers    9780237527419    (hardback only $38.50 )

The First Polio Vaccine    9780237526305

Splitting the Atom        9780237526282      pb $29.95 each

Made in China: Ideas and Inventions from Ancient China by Suzanne Williams   hardback   9781881896142  $29.95    

A detailed description of some of the many scientific discoveries of Ancient China, including bronze making, paper, silk, printing, the compass, porcelain, abacus and acupuncture.   Illustrations and photographs.  (9 - 15 years)     

A Story of Natural Numbers  by David Demant  pb 9781742030289   $24.99 

This is an introduction to the history of the development of natural numbers of 1 – 9 (and also zero).  David Demant takes us back to the time when numbers didn’t exist and describes the various symbols that have been used for numbers over thousands of years and in different countries throughout the world.  The importance of zero is discussed at length and we are introduced to various people at different historical periods and in different parts of the world whose ideas had an impact on the use of numbers.  It also explains the decimal system and the use of the abacus.  This is a long and detailed book (134 pages) and some of the later explanations are not easy but it is very entertainingly written and well set out with bright illustrations maps, graphs and a number of amusing jokes.   (12 years up)

Look! Zoom in on Art!  by Gillian Wolfe  pb 9780711220218   $16.95
This is an exceptional book which encourages us to look carefully at paintings and makes us think about the different ways artists paint when they attempt to portray perspective, movement, emotion and many other complex ideas.   (8 – 15 years) Also
Look! Seeing the Light in Art  hardback 9781845074678  $29.95  pb 9781847800381  $16.95
This fascinating book makes us think about how light is used in a variety of paintings under headings such as dramatic, cold and hot, dappled, reflected and patterns.  At the end of the book there are brief background notes to each of the eighteen paintings.    
Look ! Body Language in Art    pb    9781845071141   $16.95 
This book has a similar format the other two titles and looks at the way body language is expressed in seventeen famous paintings. 

Look! Drawing the Line in Art  hardback 9781845078249  $29.95

Here the importance of line in drawing is emphasised;; it shows how a line can be just a rough sketch, how it can be delicate or strong, can be symmetrical or show the structure of a building or can capture emotion.  It looks at 18 pictures and discusses how artists use line in very different ways.     (8 – 15 years)

Look! Really Smart Art by Gillian Wolfe  hardback  9781847800107  $29.95

In this book she focuses our attention on  the very different clever effects that artists can create. There is the 3D trick that Escher used to create an unbelievably life-like pair of hands that look as though the hands are three dimensional against a flat surface and the art of perspective which makes David Hockney’s  Going up Garroby Hill look as though the road curves down before going up the hill to disappear into the distance.  There are also examples of digital computer art by Akiyoshi Kitaoka and the pop style art of Roy Lichtenstein and many others.  (9 – 16 years)

The Art Book for Children  Book One hardback 9780714845111  $29.95

Art Book for Children Book 2 text by Amanda Renshaw   hardback  9780714847054  $29.95 

With a similar format, this second book introduces artworks from another 30 artists from the Middle Ages to very modern times.   The art works are striking and Amanda Renshaw makes comments and asks questions which encourage us to observe the works more closely and to think about why the artists chose to paint or create in that style.  It is an excellent introduction to the world of art and it helps children to think creatively.    (8 - 15 years)    

Picture This: How Pictures Work by Molly Bang  pb 9781587170300  $20.00 
In this book Molly Bang helps us understand how the structure of a pictures affects our emotional response.  She uses simple cutout shapes to tell the fairy story of Little Red Riding Hood as a visual example of how varying shapes, colour and composition of a picture make us feel differently about it.  This is a truly original and fascinating book.  (11 years up) 

Leonardo da Vinci for Kids : His Life and Ideas  by Janis Herbert  pb  9781556522987  $27.00
This book describes in detail the life of Leonard da Vinci and his amazing inventions, his engineering designs, and his wonderful paintings and sculptures.
There are descriptions of his interests in nature, in anatomy and in science and these are accompanied by extensive use of photos of many of Leonardo’s sketches, paintings and designs.  There are also suggested activities related to Leonardo’s interests.  (11 years up)

World Art and Culture series pb $25.00  each

Aboriginal Art and Culture    9781844210596                                                                     

Chinese Art and Culture       9781844210602                     

Indian Art and Culture          9781844210510                             

Islamic Art and Culture        9781844210589

Japanese Art and Culture    9781844210480

Mexican Art and Culture      9781844210503

Native American Art and Culture 9781844210619
A wide-ranging look at the diverse culture of these countries through their architecture and art and crafts over the ages.    Each book endeavours to use a wide variety of art and craft to reflect something of the culture, including the history, technology, beliefs and daily life of each country.    (11  - 16 years)

Inspirations: Art Ideas for Primary and Middle Years by Ann MacArthur    pack  9781863665865   $59.95  This pack contains a marvellous range of images of contemporary, modern and traditional artworks from Asia. On the back of each image there is background information as well as suggestions for looking and making activities for students, for discussion and for cross-curricular activities.  The specific arts activities have a variety of approaches designed to support different learning styles.  Images include works from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Persia, Philippines and Vietnam.  (11 years up)

World of Music series  hardback $38.50

Published in 2008, these are very attractively presented books giving a vast amount of information about music from various countries of the world.  The instruments and the various types of music and many different musicians are described in detail.  It is a shame that there isn’t a CD to accompany the books.  However the names of many musicians and the type of music they play is described an also descriptions of the cultural events at which music is played and the styles of dance.  The music’s link to the religions of the region is also described.  The books contain detailed maps of the regions, colour photographs of the instruments and musicians and cultural events.  There are also clear explanations of musical terms.  Each book contains a Glossary, Index and also suggested websites and books where further information can be obtained. The full list of titles is:

Africa      9780431117775 

Australia, Hawaii, and the Pacific  9780431117805

Eastern Asia   9780431117799

Europe      9780431117768

Latin America and the Caribbean   9780431117751

History in Literature series  hardback  $37.95 each

This is a fascinating series looking at the history behind some favourite classic novels.  Each book explores the relevant historical background and also looks at how events in the author’s life influenced their writing.  The many photos and artworks help in understanding the atmosphere of the period.  The final section of each book also gives a literary analysis of the novel.  There is also a Timeline, glossary and index in each book.  Titles are:

Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist     9780431081748 

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby   9780431081700

Ann Holm’s I am David    9780431081694

George Orwell’s Animal farm   9780431081687

Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front   9780431081755

John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men     9780431081724

Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn     9780431081717                                  (13 – 16 years)

Environments

Pat Lowe with Jimmy Pike
You call it desert - we used to live there   pb  9781921248115   $39.95   
In a marvellous collaboration, Pat Lowe's photographs interact with Jimmy Pike's striking paintings to make us see the Australian desert landscape with new insight.  Jimmy Pike was a well-loved Aboriginal artist who was brought up with his family in the Great Sandy Desert in north-western Australia.  Pat Lowe describes with great clarity what Jimmy Pike has told her about the way his family and community used to live in the Great Sandy Desert.   (10 years up)

Upside Down World Map   pb $10.95       Laminated $24.95
Drawn from the perspective of those living in the southern hemisphere, this very simple Upside Down World Map is centred round the Pacific Ocean, thereby giving Asia and Australia a prominent position and relegating Europe to a small group of countries in the far top left hand corner of the map.  It promotes some interesting discussion about the history of cartography and how this has affected our perspective of the world.  (8 years up)

If the World were a Village: A book about the World’s People  by David J Smith illustrated by Shelagh Arstrong  hardback

9781742376608   $28.00  pb   9781742376608  $16.99
This is such an important book, especially for students trying to gain some comprehension of the huge numbers of people living on our planet.  As of January 2005, there were 6 billion 400 million people.  David Smith imagines the whole population of the world in just one village of 100 people.  In this global village, each person represents 64 million people.  He then takes us through this village showing us more about the people living there.  In this global village, 61 are from Asia, 13 from Africa, 12 from Europe, 8 from South and Central America, 5 from Canada and the US and 1 from Oceania.  He looks at the beliefs, languages and ages of these people as well as the food they eat.  If the food they eat was divided equally, there would be no shortage of food in this global village but it isn’t and so 50 people are hungry some of the time and 20 are severely malnourished.  He also looks at water, electricity, money and possessions and also how many people lived in this village in the past and will live there in the future.  The text is very simply written and I am sure that it would spark spontaneous discussion.  This is very much a book with an interdisciplinary world-view which links geography, environment and human rights.  (9 - 14 years)

* Our World Our Future by Sharon Dalgleish  hardback 9781420261059   $49.95

This title was originally published as six individual titles Saving water, Cleaning the Air, Managing the Land, Renewing Energy, Protecting Forests and Caring for Wildlife in 2002.  The information from those six titles has now been updated (2007) and published as one hardback volume.  It looks at the problems of sustaining the environment round the world and also our responsibility to contribute to the protection of our planet.  There are suggestions throughout the book on what we can do to have an effect on improving the environment.    (10 – 13 years)

*  Protecting Ecosystems (World Heritage series,  2010) $31.99 each

The main interest of this series consists of the thirteen world heritage sites round the world which have been chosen because of their remarkable ecosystems.  Although some are well known such as Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and Yellowstone National Park, most are not well known (or not well known to me) and are located in countries such as Panama, Madagascar, Seychelles and Brazil.  A simple map of each world heritage ecosystem and photographs showing the area and descriptions provide a helpful introduction to these fascinating ecosystems.  Students can then do more research themselves for further information.  A timeline for each ecosystem is included as well as an Index.     The full range of titles in the series are:

Protecting Ancient Heritage   9781420273854

Protecting Ecosystems   9781420273861

Protecting Earth’s History   9781420273892

Protecting Human Masterpieces   9781420273885

Protecting the Human Story    9781420273908

Protecting Threatened Animals              9781420273878

Sustainable Homes (Sustainable Futures series)  (published in 2009)  pb $24.95

Looks at sustainable homes round the world, including traditionally built houses using natural local materials and also homes using modern technology (some of which also use local natural materials.) The book also discusses the most efficient ways of heating and cooling homes in order to save energy and also the most efficient ways of using water.  There is a section on reducing waste and pollution and on recycling.  The last chapter discusses the importance of building sustainable communities, not just houses.  The book also looks at the impact our houses have on the environment and on our quality of life.     (10 – 15 years)

The full range of titles in the series is:

Conserving Fresh Water   9780237539184

Energy      9780237539207

Food for Life    9780237539191

Healthy Seas   9780237539214

Sustainable Homes   9780237539221

Waste, Recycling and Reuse    9780237539177      (10 – 15 years)

Health and Social Education

What Makes Me Me?  By Robert Winston  pb 9781405358033  $16.95
This book is a dynamic and different look at how our bodies work and what makes each of us a unique person.  I t also looks at what our bodies are made of and discusses some of the complexities of how our brains work.  There are fascinating sections on personality traits, multiple intelligences, body language, dreams and phobias.  There are also a number of tests for genes, memory as well as verbal, spatial and numerical skills and for personality.  (10 – 14 years)

Body: An Amazing Tour of Human Anatomy by Robert Winston and  Richard Walker   hardback (includes CD)  9781405310420  $39.95

I know there have been many books which try to reconstruct the human body and give an idea of its amazing complexity but this one I think does it extremely successfully.  The book looks at the various body systems such as skeletal, muscular, nervous etc but then looks in more detail at the head, and upper and lower body sections.  The illustrations are exceptional and enable us to visualise the amazing complexity of the body through reconstruction which has been made possible apparently through modern scanning machines and computing.    (10 – 18 years)

The Way We Work: Explore the Human Body – Head to Toe! by David Macaulay with Richard Walker  hardback 9781406322224  $49.95

This is a very detailed and also entertaining book which shows how our bodies work. Macaulay spent years in research attending anatomy classes and attending dissections in order to gain some understanding of the very complex processes involved.  The result is an extremely detailed analysis both in text and also with illustrations.  There is humour in many of the illustrations and many depict the body as though it is a machine and this often helps in our understanding of how it works but my overall impression was of the amazing complexity of the body and its functions!   There are seven comprehensive sections showing how the various parts of the body work.   It would be very helpful book to have in the library to provide additional information for students needing additional information about how the body works.    (12 years  up)

All prices are in Australian dollars and include GST of 10% which is not applicable for overseas schools.

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© Kate Shepherd 2010.