Maps

"Maps" by Alexsandra and Daniel Mizielinska is not a comprehensive world atlas. It does not provide detailed topography; elevations; population of cities indicated by font size; or other conventional and expected information. However, what "Maps" does provide is a wealth of trivia and enough information to pique the reader's interest in learning more about each of the selected 42 countries, the Arctic and the Antarctic. Printed on heavy paper stock that is parchment-like in appearance, the illustrations and style of "Maps" are reminiscent of vintage maps. Illustrations are cartoon-like and plentiful. Some may find the maps "busy". Information for each entry includes a picture of the country's flag; the name of the capital city; the official language; the population; and the land mass' area. Cities are shown in red. Other information included about each country includes animal species found in the specific country; points of interest; foods; cultural information; some geographic features. All information is brief and serves only as a "teaser" inviting the reader to explore the country further. Readers seeking a comprehensive atlas that includes information about every country in the world may be disappointed in "Maps". It is not a geography book seeking to be all things to all readers. Individuals seeking an unusual, quality book that may encourage children and adults alike to research the included countries further will find "Maps" a delightful book and one that is well worth purchasing.

Got this for my map-loving toddler and I am beyond impressed. Every page is beautiful and it’s such a great learning tool for him. This exceeded my expectations. My teacher husband will me purchasing an additional copy for his classroom.

I first saw this map book in a specialty store in Austria and spent a good 20 minutes flipping through its pages, admiring it. I wanted so badly to buy it but I didn't have room in my suitcase to take it home (this is a large book). Luckily, when I returned home, I found it on Amazon, and it now has a place of honor on my coffee table. Technically, I think it is meant to be a children's book, but aside from some of the whimsical imagery, I think this book can serve as a tool for all ages. I am 23 and have traveled extensively, but every time I flip through this I learn something new. I especially love that it includes more unique things about each of the countries and includes the most popular names for each country. I would recommend buying this for anyone who loves maps and travel, of any age. I don't think I would buy this for a child younger than 5 or six. Keep in mind that a lot of the text is in cursive, so if your children can't read cursive, they may struggle to understand parts of it.

Beautiful book with a lot of information. My 3 year old loves it

This is a very large and beautifully illustrated book! My son really enjoys pouring through the pages and reading the little bits of information on every page. It has tiny pictures scattered across each page to show what each area is known for and give insight into cultures of different regions. I would recommend this to anyone who has kids under the age of 10. Older than that would still find it interesting, but I'm not sure they'd get the use out of it like younger children would.

There are currently two negative reviews about this book, which after receiving it, I would like to comment on. Both individuals were upset a country they love was left out. Ireland and Israel aren't in this book, but neither are Norway, Portugal, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Ukraine, Turkey and several other European countries, along with every central American country, all nations in the Caribbean, the Philippines, South and North Korea, Indonesia, most of Africa and many others I'm not going to list. Indeed, there are only 52 maps in this book, which was never billed as a COMPLETE atlas. Instead, it's a gorgeous introduction for children (and adults) to pique enough interest to inspire them to learn more about the world. It's funny to me that the absence of both Ireland and Israel were highlighted in the reviews, since both countries have an entire book devoted to them by Sasek. To me, Maps is a great addition to learn more about culture and geography in conjunction with Sasek's amazing This is...series. Furthermore, Israel's capitol in Maps is listed as Jerusalem, which not even the Obama administration recognizes, so I'm still confused as to why one of the reviewers is so angry. Finally, Maps is printed in Poland! I'm getting very tired of Chinese made books, so this means a great deal to me.

This is a great book for adults and kids alike. We (the adults) enjoy sitting and looking at the maps, which have a lot of fun trivia on them (popular names, foods, etc.). It doesn't include every country, but that's okay; it's not really a reference book or atlas. It's entertaining, and the illustrations are nice. I bought this for my husband, who loves maps, and he really likes it, though he says some parts aren't accurate (area in miles, populations, etc.). We intend to donate it to a school after we are finished looking at it because we know the kids will enjoy it just as much as we do. On a side note, our friends' children were over and the book entertained them successfully for a couple of hours, so it was worth the investment just for that.

Do NOT waste your time to read this review. Not enough adjectives to fully appreciate this incredible book. The artwork is beyond amazing and any adult in your life will love it. I purchased this book for myself and I am 56 years old.. Neighbors came over last night and they are the same age —showed them this book and they were blown away. I would never buy this book for a child—- because a child will never appreciate the time,research and effort that went into making and designing this book.

My 5 year old got this for her birthday and loves reading it while watching documentaries. The art is amazing and the content is accurate and interesting.

Used it for a farewell party for people to leave messages in.

This is an outstanding book for anyone who wants to introduce their children to the world. Made in the lines of a traditional atlas, Maps, has been illustrated with painstaking detail and will cause children (and adults alike) to ask questions about what they see. This is a large book and will easily be the largest in many home book collections. Wonderfully produced this is a must for anyone who wants to get their children to be curious about the world.

I love the illustrations and how the countries are described. I just don't give 5 stars because there are a few countries missing on the map and if you or your kid is from that country, it can be confusing.

We have already bought the special edition with some extra map. Bought this earlier thought I have missed out them in the special edition so hoping to see more south east asian countries in this earlier version however there was none. I didn't miss out but there is no maps on Singapore and Malaysia. Nonetheless we love the illustrations.