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The Palace of Facts
Book Review
If you don’t like facts or hate them or want to eliminate them from the face of the earth do not read this book!!!
This is a book of 400 facts. They have laid it out like a palace. The design and layout of the pages is complex and based on things you could find in a palace. For example, the palace gates are page 10 and have facts about keys and gates. They’ve written a fact about how to get out of mazes near the exit of a maze. The maze is hard but my mum actually managed to find the way through it. Well done Mum!
It’s hard to choose my favourite page or fact but one of my favourites was how there was a jazz musician who could play three saxophones at the same time. I like the way it’s got photos as well as illustrations including a photo of an animal I’ve never seen a picture of before – the wild rat!
Here’s a sad fact – crows have funerals. I learnt a new bird – an American bittern. Strange name –sounds like it bites. Apparently its call sounds like dripping water.
I read some facts from the book to a friend in the car and my older brother stole the book while I was away – his favourite fact was about Mozart’s piano.
I would recommend this to anyone of any age who likes facts – basically from 0 to 99 and above!
About the Book
You are hereby invited to the Palace of Facts, where 400 astonishing facts are on display… Search the treasure room to find out facts about crystals; explore the fossil hall to dig up facts about dinosaurs; scale the observatory to spot facts about space; delve into the dungeons to discover hidden facts.
On this marvellous journey, you will be accompanied by three characters – Pip, Alice and their dog Charley – who will lead you from room to room with witty and playful charm.
Every fact is woven into Andy Smith’s lavishly illustrated scenes. Inspired by the idea of a memory palace – where facts are located in imagined physical spaces – this unique book makes information both beautiful and memorable.
Author
Kate Olesin
Kate Olesin (formerly Kate Hale) is a writer, editor and professional fun fact finder. A former executive editor for National Geographic Kids’ Books, she’s edited or written about everything from dog communication to inspiring scientists to wacky roadside attractions. She also co-created and hosted the award-winning kids’ radio program, the Weird but True! show
Illustrator
Andy Smith
Andy Smith is an award-winning illustrator who studied illustration at the University of Brighton and the Royal College of Art, London. His work combines illustration and photography to create images that have humour, energy and optimism executed with a handmade, hand-printed, tactile feel. He previously illustrated the FACTopia! series.
Reviewer Profile
Ben, 8
- Reviews: 26
- Likes: animals, reading and pizza
- Dislikes: vegetable curry and football
- Superpower: Being able to grow things at my command and commanding all the animals in the world, Mwahahahaha!
- Favourite Book: Toto the Ninja Cat series by Dermot O'Leary and Nick East
- Favourite Film: The Minecraft Movie
- Favourite Song: Mungojerry and Rumpelteazer from Cats
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