Non-fiction books

Alles, Hemesh: Errata – A Book of Historical Errors
Templar, 1995

In this fascinating book you can test your knowledge in history. There are twelve scenes from history on the spreads of the book. You can e. g. visit the Zulu wedding or join the powwow at a Sioux Indian encampment. But be careful. There are ten hidden faults in each picture. Do you think that electric drills were used when constructing the Great Wall of China or did the farmers drive tractors in ancient Egypt? Can you spot all the faults? If you get stuck, just turn the back of the book to find the answers and further information about the scenes from history.

Blake, Quentin: Tell Me A Picture
Frances Lincoln, 2002

Quentin Blake has chosen twenty-six different pictures for you to tell stories about. Some of the pictures are very famous paintings you can see in the art galleries and some are fine illustrations from children’s books all over the world. At first you’ll see just a picture. You can study that and imagine what kind of stories are hidden in the picture. After turning the page you’ll find children telling things they noticed in the picture. At the end of the book there is some information about the pictures and the artists and illustrators who made them.

Brown, Laurie Krasny: What's the Big Secret - Talking about Sex with Girls and Boys
Brown and Company, 1997

How do you tell the difference between boys and girls? Do boys have different haircuts from girls? Or do girls have different feelings from boys? Sometimes, but not always. The only certain way to tell boys and girls apart is by their bodies. In this book you’ll find out more about your body and how did you come about in the first place. You’ll get answers to questions like “Is sex a dirty word?” or “Where do babies come from?” as well.

Brunhoff, Laurent de: Babar’s Yoga for Elephants
Harry N. Abrams, 2002

Did you know that the ancient elephants in Celestville invented yoga? When the secret was out, yoga became extremely popular among the elephants in Celestville. Babar and his family started practising yoga, because they think it helps them to relax and draw strength to their inner elephants. In this book Babar demonstrates basic yoga techniques and positions to other elephants. The only difference between Babar’s yoga and contemporary human yoga is that people take off their shoes to do yoga whereas elephants put them on.

Dedopulos, Tim: Wizards - A Magical History Tour
Carlton Books, 2001

This book studies wizards and wizardry in detail. The wizards introduced in this book are both fictional and historical: there are magical characters, mythic figures and real people and groups who were considered wizards. You can familiarise yourself with the lives, magical powers and the worlds of the most famous wizards. You’ll find out that one of the most important places for wizards are libraries, because books are very useful to all wizards and they can’t stop collecting books. You can never be sure what information you might need…

Gunston, Bill: The World of Flight
Horus editions, 1995

The principles of flying and the machines from past and present are introduced distinctly in this book. You can see the computer control panels in the modern cockpits or find out how the radar works. Do you know what a VTOL aircraft is or how aeroplanes fly? The World of Flight belongs to the How It Works series and it has many interesting cutaway illustrations in it.

Hart, Christopher: Manga
Watson-Guptill, 2004

If you are a manga fan and you like to draw this is a book for you! With the help of this book you’ll be able to draw authentic manga. For a start you’ll learn the basics: the head (with the eyes being the most important part), the body and its poses. Later on you can draw loads of cool manga characters such as Warrior Princess, Mysterious Swordsman or even Flying Robot Soldier. There is also a bonus section with more challenge for advanced manga drawers. All the examples are broken into steps you can easily follow yourself. The book belongs to the Kids draw series.

Mattison, Chris: A Practical Guide to Exotic Pets
Bramley, 1999

Exotic pets can be divided into three main categories: invertebrates (e. g. insects, spiders, scorpions and snails), amphibians (e. g. newts, salamanders and frogs) and reptiles (lizards, snakes and tortoises). None of the exotic pets are pets in the true sense of the word, because they are not domesticated. Getting a pet is always something to be considered carefully, but if you decide to have an exotic pet you’ll need this book. It is full of practical information and helpful advice on how to keep unusual pets.

O'Sullivan, Joanne: Girls' World - Making Cool Stuff for Your Room, Your Friends & You
Lark Books, 2002

It’s fabulous to be a girl! With the help of this book you can create unique things for you and your friends. You can glamorise your room with a furry mirror or imaginative lampshades. Dress up T-shirts, bags and flip-flops or make jewellery or home-made lip gloss. Only the sky is the limit! There is a rating scale to help you decide how difficult projects you would like to start. Are you a Do-It-Yourself Dabbler, Do-It-Yourself Diva or a Craft Queen?

Sachar, Louis: Sideways Arithmetic from Wayside School
Bloomsbury Publishing, 2004

How is it possible that egg + egg = page and one + two is not three? These Sideways arithmetic problems seem to be a bit cryptic at first, but you can use ordinary maths to solve them. There are many hints and clues to help you solve these brain teasers. There are also answers in this book, but it is strongly recommended that you don’t look them. You can never un-look them and so you’ll never be able to solve the problems yourself, for the rest of your life.