Atlas Obscura co-founder Dylan Thuras and award-winning author Jennifer Swanson (Outdoor School) team up to help kids explore 50 of humanity's greatest discoveries and inventions in the informative and wry middle-grade nonfiction guide The Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide to Inventing the World, with welcoming illustrations by Ruby Fresson (Spin to Survive series). Thuras and Swanson create a rough sketch of human history not in chronological order, but "back and forth through time and around the world," connecting ideas that build on each other across decades.
A cheeky packing list at the beginning (readers will need a time machine, a lead apron, and samurai sword, among other items) sets the irreverent, enthusiastic tone for this excursion through history. The authors offer the latitude and longitude for the birth of each invention, encouraging readers to look up where in the world video games or steel was invented and to visit museums to learn more. Fun facts about each location, such as an on-site crypt or a "really cool old spiral staircase," add to the allure. Thuras and Swanson don't shy away from exploring complicated technologies or real-world struggles affecting scientists and museums, trusting their readers to keep up with the big ideas. Full-color illustrations in a style reminiscent of Hergé's Tin Tin adorn every page, comfortingly grounding readers in visual representations of inventions and locations. Backmatter includes explanations of measurements, an extensive glossary, and a recommended reading list. The Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide to Inventing the World is a must-have for any kid interested in history, technology, or how things are made. --Nicole Brinkley, bookseller and writer