Member Reviews

A really fun, concise and wonderful way to teach children about some major historical times and moments.

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The History of Everything is a brilliant book with wonderful illustrations! In just 32 pages it manages to be extremely informative, engaging and the layout makes it accessible to children of different reading capabilities. I recommend this for children aged 7+. It is also an ideal resource for a school classroom/library, encouraging discussions/activities on History & Science topics.

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I really liked this overview of life on earth from the big bang to the modern technological age. Each two page spread is attractively illustrated and while only giving a very basic overview of each period (for example origins of life, rise of the dinosaurs, farming, industrialisation etc.), it is well done and provides enough information for readers to understand the timeline.

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There was so much information in this book! This would be a great book for a child that is a history buff. I would consider buying this as a reference for my classroom. Nicely illustrated and engaging for the reader.

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I loved this book. It is bursting with key information but it succinct in its delivery. The pages are well organised, captivating and striking. A great class book for school and an essential for all children to give an overview of historical timeline.

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Absolutely brilliant book! It is older than my daughter’s reading age, so I’ve been reading it to her. She loves to learn and we have used it as a way to give us ideas for games and activities we do. We have loved using the history to give us time play exploration and imaginative play, to act out those times, and Ada has really loved every moment. So much joy and learning in one book!

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I mistakenly thought this book was about history, it's actually a quick little time line with additional info on the universes creation and evolution, if you're into that kinda thing then this book is for you.

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This was love at first cover!

I have a blast reading this book, since it is fill with accurate relevant information from the creation of the world, glancing over evolution of live and pinpointing the main developments (settling, civilizations, discovery and enlightenment) and events (industrial revolution, use of electricity, modern technology environment) crafted by the human kind.

Not only did I find it extremely educational and relevant, but enjoy every bit of illustration and design, filling the text with an appealing visual connection for the reader.

This is a great tool for teachers, students and history enthusiast to flip to wold's historical transformation and evolution in a fun, quick yet substantial depth.

Perfect for a class materiales for different topics and leves as well as for independent readers of all ages!

An ARC of this book was kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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I thought that this was a great quick read, it was full of facts and I loved the illustrations in in the book.

I read the book in one sitting and it took me around an hours to read all the little snippets and facts that are added and I thought it was really good.

A great idea to fit it in to the 32 pages and well executed – I imagine it was quite hard to select what to feature and what to leave out too! Highly recommended and a fun read.

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The History of Everything in 32 pages is brilliantly concise and stunningly illustrated. The layout of the book makes it a perfect read for both reluctant readers and bibliophiles aged 7 and above. The History of Everything begins with the formation of the solar system and ends with the modern age. Each entry is a double page spread filled with just the right amount of informative text, fascinating facts and eye catching illustrations. It also has a timeline of everything. It is a must have for any KS2 classroom and a perfect read to spark engagement in History or Science.

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A small encyclopedia which I'm sure the kids will love. The book sums up the historic highlights in a pretty cool way. It's an essential book filled with full-page illustrations. Go, give it a read!

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Opinions: I love to learn but tire quickly when exploring the depths of science and history. In order to keep my mind active but take a break from revising for exams, I often pick up children's books because they are simple, fresh, and easy-to-read! I admit to having had high expectations for The History of Everything in 32 Pages, but even if my expectations were lower, I'm afraid they still wouldn't have been met. The primary reason why The History of Everything in 32 Pages was so disappointing in my eyes is the lack of content! Of course, you can't expect an encyclopedia to be reduced to 32 pages, but Claybourne provided too little information about too many topics; I would've preferred more depth and context in fewer subjects. With such a shallow bank of knowledge, young readers might find it difficult to engage with any of the historical events and therefore take away anything from the book. The only reason I enjoyed The History of Everything in 32 Pages enough to award it 2 stars is because I have lots of background knowledge on the topics discussed, meaning the content made sense. Back to the idea of not expecting an encyclopedia, the title of the book is misleading. I truly hope no parent buys this book assuming their child will become a genius after reading it, but I did hope to hear more about man-made history, such as war, religion, music, and education. "Everything" is is a hyperbole and "32 pages" is a meaningless tactic to engage readers. What's the point of a short children's nonfiction book that doesn't teach anything? I'm positive all kids and parents would prefer a longer and more studious book, even if it doesn't have such a catchy and fun title. All in all, The History of Everything in 32 Pages wasn't a wasted read, but I would not recommend it to young readers looking for an introduction to the history of space, dinosaurs, evolution, and civilization.

Total Rating: G
Language: G
Adult Content: G
Violence: G

Recommended For and Similar Reads: The History of Everything in 32 Pages is a summary of dozens of useful and exciting topics! If you are interested in increasing your background knowledge about the universe, dinosaurs, and evolution, I fully recommend this book to you. However, it provides small amounts of information over many topics, meaning it shouldn't be used as an introductory book! Similar reads are You and Your Strange Brain by Clive Gifford, The Mysteries of the Universe by Clive Gifford, and Fake News by Tom Jackson.

Disclaimer: NetGalley provided an advanced copy in return for my honest review. There are statements in this review that are my opinions. If you disagree, feel free to ignore me!

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This book will be devoured by children who will pour over it for hours. The format offers exactly what they adore. Bold, powerful illustrations which support clearly written, thoughtfully detailed and precise information. There is something for every reader to hone on, whether their passion be dinosaurs, space, inventions or civilisations, and the format lends itself to developing new interests and discoveries. From the first double spread, which gives insight into where the emergence of the human race is located within the historical timeline of the world and helps readers to appreciate all that came before; to the last, which explores the modern age from 1940 to the present day, this book offers a unique overview of history and I imagine that once picked up, it will be very difficult for any child (or adult) to put down again.

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I loved The History of Everything. It is a great book about...well the history of everything. Beautiful illustrations bring the history and facts to life. I loved all the facts and topics that were included! Definitely a great book.

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'The History of Everything' surely couldn't fit into 32 pages - well, it nearly can! This book is a good overview, offering a summary of different historical periods from a global perspective. Visually, this book is excellent. The illustrations are clearly presented and complement the text well, making it an easy read. This is a book that could definitely be used in the classroom.

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32 pages isn't a lot, but there is so much information on every page that it was actually surprising.

Each section is a beautiful double page spread of charming illustrations and facts that will grab and hold the attention of younger readers.

The information is easy to read and set out very clearly. It's very informative and the illustrations help to bring the information to life.

A charming and informative book for younger readers.

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What a fantastic aspect for middle school age students to have at their fingertips!! This is a great teaching tool for homeschooling and just to have for refreshing before the school year is to begin!!! The information is astronomical and the graphics are stupendous!!!

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Anna Claybourne and Jan Van Der Veken have created a wonderful children's reference book, The History of Everything in 32 Pages. I have a large collection of amazing children's non fiction published by British authors/publishers and this book is a welcome addition. The historical overview of the earth from creation to today is told through a global perspective. Aimed at elementary students, these beautifully illustrated pages allow students to situate events in the earth’s timeline. A lovely addition to any home or school library, to use with more in-depth resources.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Laurence King Publishing for a temporary e-ARC copy.

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Thank you NetGalley and publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

The title definitely made me curious and want to read this book. It was fun to see how the 'history of everything' could really fit into 32 pages - the story of Earth ranges from Big Bang to the Modern Era. It is definitely a summation of each of these eras, but I could see a student wanting to learn more about certain topics after reading through this quick book.

Overall, I thought it was great. It's definitely a book that I will be adding to the non-fiction section of my classroom library when it comes out!

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I really loved getting to read this book, it was so fun to see how so much history could be condensed into just 32 pages.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

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