You Are History

Greg Jenner is a public historian and, as he explains in the introduction to this new book for children, that means his job is to make history ‘super enjoyable for other people.’ A gifted storyteller and communicator he sets out to make history real and relevant to young readers by putting them at its centre. He guides us step by step through an ordinary day, revealing the history of all those objects we use daily and take for granted, from the alarm clock to the toilet (of course), the calculator to the smartphone, the sofa to the tin can, they’re all included the last item being, naturally, the bed. The history ranges across the globe and centuries, and the accompanying text is lively and always clear. Laughter is a great way to hold children’s attention and this is full of jokes, but Jenner also covers series subjects: a section on ‘The Dark History of Chocolate’ for example explains slavery. He succeeds brilliantly in demonstrating to children how interconnected the world is, and this is a book to spark their imaginations and stimulate their curiosity. Super enjoyable indeed.

Read our Q&A interview with Greg Jenner.