Underworld: Exploring the Secret World Beneath Your Feet - Hardcover

Price, Jane

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1894786890 ISBN 13: 9781894786898

Publisher: Kids Can Press, 2014

Synopsis

With the intriguing idea of exploring what lies below the surface of the Earth as its broad theme, this fascinating book cleverly dices up the subject into small, more manageable pieces ready to be devoured by young readers, particularly boys. The basics are covered in detail, such as the physical properties of the Earth's crust (including its unusual features such as volcanoes and caves), as well as animals with underground habitats. There is a treasure trove of information on the uses humans have made of the underground -- from bunkers used during wartime, to burial sites, to the Paris M?tro -- as well as possibilities for the future, even on Mars! What makes this book truly unique, however, are the less expected subjects it covers -- fully examining, for example, the subterranean city of Cappadocia, where early Christians hid from Roman soldiers; King Tut's tomb and its alleged curse; and the underground dungeons used for torture in medieval castles. This is an extraordinary resource for earth science or social sciences lessons covering any number of diverse subjects, from paleontology to archaeology, from mythology to ancient civilizations and from engineering to agriculture. The format is conducive to browsing, with every topic covered on a two-page spread. The text by Jane Price is easy to read and accessible, and engaging illustrations by James Gulliver Hancock, along with many photographs, help to visualize the sometimes-complicated concepts. Boxes, fun facts and funny captions keep things lively and entertaining. A generous index helps with navigation.

About this title

Review

A scattershot but revealing dig beneath our planet's surface, illustrated with a mix of photos and schematic cutaways.―Kirkus Reviews

Visual appeal, high-interest text, and a wide scope of information inspire young readers to dig deeper---literally.―Booklist

The informative text and illustrations are sure to hold the attention of readers and spark interest in further research of the topics.―School Library Journal

Readers who dream of spelunking or who simply want to dive into a well (of information) will find much to ponder---bats and naked mole rats get spreads of their own, as does the curse of King Tut and the 2010 Chilean mine collapse---in this lively and accessible exploration.―Publishers Weekly

Jane Price gives curious young readers a sense of realms hidden from most of us ... Photographs convey the grandeur and amazing formations of certain caves, and James Gulliver Hancock's cross-section illustration of a cave city shows how it was organized in a way no photograph could.―The Washington Post

Elementary boys will devour this nonfiction book about everything underground from tombs to cities and much more.―Library Media Connection

From Booklist

This cleverly conceived book encourages kids to consider the mysteries to be found beneath their own feet. Price covers a wide range of topics in multiple disciplines, including geology, biology, archaeology, current events, and human geography. An introduction discusses the basics of tectonics and the layers of the earth’s crust, and an entire chapter is devoted to underground animals and their unconventional habitats. Then we move to even more interesting stuff. The tombs of Egyptian pharaohs are described alongside Qin’s army of terracotta soldiers. A veritable city below the streets of Paris is explored, complete with mass transit tunnels, a secret cinema, the infamous catacombs, and a WWII–era command bunker. With painstaking detail, Hancock’s illustrations take center stage on the pages dealing with underground Tokyo, a subterranean farm, a shopping center, and an underground temple. Future prospects for underground exploration are examined. Visual appeal, high-interest text, and a wide scope of information inspire young readers to dig deeper—literally. Grades 3-6. --Erin Anderson

Edition details

• Publisher: Kids Can Press
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1894786890
• ISBN 13: 9781894786898
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 96
• Illustrator: Hancock James Gulliver