A summer of fun with Usborne by various authors – children’s book reviews –

Age 8 plus:

100 Things to Know About Sport

Jerome Martin, Alice James, Tom Mumbray and Micaela Tapsell

Usborne knows a thing or two about making learning fun… and sport is full of fascinating facts and figures just waiting to be discovered. From equipment and engineering to amazing sporting achievements, this brilliant book is the latest in Usborne’s award-winning 100 Things to Know series and is packed with quirky and surprising sport-themed facts. Featuring bold, graphic illustrations, in a pictorial ‘infographics’ style, the snippets of information cover all aspects of sport. Find out how having a moustache could make swimmers lose by a hair, how Roman soldiers trained for war by doing gymnastics, how a Finnish architect accidentally invented skateboarding and why footballers wear logos on their kit? And for those hungry to learn more, there are internet links to specially selected websites and videos where children can watch world-class athletes break records and discover more about the facts in the book.

(Usborne, hardback, £9.99)

Age 6 plus:

Lots of Travel Puzzles and Games

Kate Nolan, Simon Tudhope, Phillip Clarke and various illustrators

There’s fun all the way with Usborne’s super-colourful and boredom-busting book of puzzles and games! With over 100 pages of travel-themed activities, this bright and busy book is perfect for children to take on holidays and journeys. There are all kinds of fun puzzles, from wordsearches and mazes to spot the difference and Sudoku, as well as pencil-and-paper games for one or two players including bingo, boxes, and noughts and crosses. The book is easy to dip in and out of on short trips and there are plenty of puzzles to distract and entertain youngsters on longer journeys. Don’t leave home without it!

(Usborne, paperback, £6.99)

Age 5 plus:

Summer World Magic Painting Book

Lizzie Cope and Marcella Grazzi

What child can resist the magic of a magic painting book! All you need is water and the brush provided, and then abracadabra, marvel as the black and white pages turn into a rainbow of vibrant colours. Enjoy the look of amazement on the faces of your little ones when they use the brush to paint water over the illustrations and reveal an enchanted and colourful world full of relaxing summer scenes, from butterflies and seashells to surfboards and sunflowers which are transformed from black and white to colour in seconds. And with tear-out pages and a waterproof laminated flap to tuck behind your work to stop the water seeping through to the rest of the book, youngsters can be sure of a perfect result every time. Magic at a paintbrush stroke... and perfect for summertime getaways or staycations!

(Usborne, paperback, £6.99)

Age 3 plus:

Summer Things to Make and Do

Kate Nolan, Manola Caprini and Claire Thomas

There won’t be a dull moment this summer with a brilliant activity book which offers lots of super craft ideas to keep little hands out of mischief! From craft activities to colouring pages and step-by-step drawing, this delightful book is packed full of activities to provide lots of creative fun and keep youngsters busy all summer long. Make pop-up sandcastles and sunflowers, daisy chains, rainbow fish, spinners and kites, and glue pieces of paper together to make a lazy boat collage. Each craft activity uses everyday and recycled materials from around the house, and has clear, illustrated step-by-step instructions, with helpful tips and photos of the finished crafts. The perfect companion for both rainy days and holidays!

(Usborne, paperback, £6.99)

Age 3 plus:

Usborne First Sticker Book: Holidays

Alice Beecham and Marina Aizen

Get ready for fun with an adorable cast of excited animal characters as they pack their bags for a summer holiday! This enchanting first sticker book was just made for little hands. Help the animals as they spend a day at the beach, hit the snowy ski slopes, enjoy a nature walk and visit the travelling fair, enjoy the splish, splash, splosh at the water park, and camp beneath the stars. Little ones will love adding over 100 colourful and easy-to-use stickers to bring Marina Aizen’s beautifully illustrated scenes to life. Fun on every page!

(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £5.99)