Mysteries & Marvels of Nature

This colourful, fact-packed book is sure to encourage children to find out more about the natural world. Although the book is described as ‘internet-linked’, it does not have to be used in conjunction with the Internet. It stands alone as a good reference book.

The stunning photographs on each page are immediately appealing, especially to boys. This age group may struggle with some of the text, but simple illustrations are used to help explain the concepts.

The recommended websites are linked via www.usborne-quicklinks.com but the site is not particularly child- or user-friendly. The links can only be accessed by searching for them using the page numbers of the book. This interactive resource may be useful for teachers and tutoring parents, but most of the suggested websites are not written or designed for children.

Usborne has sensibly included a guide to Internet safety, but it remains to be seen whether its website links are checked and updated on a regular basis.