Oxford Children's History of the World

This is a good single volume introduction to the main strands of world history. It is straightforwardly organised into four chronological sections and double page spreads that tackle discrete subjects. Weight is given to developments beyond Europe and North America and Grant balances general statements with significant detail. Generally, his text is both clear and simple, without the explanation becoming banal. The twentieth-century section seems to present more challenges to plain speaking than earlier times, but there is an extensive glossary to help with unfamiliar terms. There is good use of well-chosen and captioned contemporary prints, paintings and artefacts. There are time lines and pen portraits of significant figures for each section, and a full index. The quality of the (unattributed) 'specially drawn' illustrations do not match that of the rest of the production. The maps, often a cat's cradle of coloured lines, are sometimes small and difficult to decipher. The few diagrams and cross-sections are imprecise and inadequately labelled, and the largest illustrations are dramatic, atmospheric set pieces that are speculative and often lacking in detail. But none of this should deter you, if what you need is a slim volume that will act as a starting point for a particular line of historical enquiry or a consistently interesting text to dip into.