Faster, Further, Higher, Deeper

Superlatives are generally the key to a boy’s heart, and this pictorial guide to ‘Triumphs in Transport’ is full of quirky stories and facts about the biggest, best and fastest in the world of machines. Richard Brassey’s soft-wash strip cartoons depict the key breakthroughs and inventions in the history of transport, from Watts’ discovery of the power of steam to the dramatic first voyages of the Montgolfier Brothers. He is particularly strong on British champions such as Brunel, Cayley and Whittle. The approach may be light-hearted, but there is plenty of serious science included here. A final spread looks at possibilities for the future, travelling beyond Earth’s atmosphere into space by solar-sail-powered spacecraft, while those preferring to remain at home can enjoy virtual travel. An attractive and imaginative approach to the topic which is certain to appeal to those boys who choose non-fiction in preference to fiction.