Kate Hale (text) and Andy Smith (illustrator), Return to Factopia!, Britannica Books, March 2022, 208 pp., RRP $25.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781913750398
Return to Factopia! is a compendium of short, fun facts presented within brightly coloured and illustrated pages. It is published by Britannica Books (of iconic encyclopedia fame) with none of the boring conventions of encyclopedias but with all of the factual reliability of the Britannica brand.
I was particularly struck by the original and creative presentation of the book. Besides the vibrant and funny, cartoon style illustrations, there’s novelty text aplenty – to name a few, the word “slippery” is on a downward and sideways angle as if slipping, and the text about rolling boulders is presented in a spiral format. Another fun element is the diversion from conventional left to right presentation of text. Short statements are linked, with arrows or dotted lines in random directions, to related facts on other parts of a page, and sometimes refer to a page earlier or later in the book, creating a “choose your next fact to read” format.
With fun facts about unusual restaurants, surprising and unexpected snippets about animals, space travel, food, the ancient world and many more, it’s an enjoyable book for kids to dip into now and then for a giggle or to learn a few fun facts to impress. Each double spread page is dedicated to a topic, except for the “Fact Frenzy” pages covering assortments of facts. I think my favourite page is the one illustrated with two smiling upright frogs crossing a submerged bridge in an Austrian park that gets flooded each year. Or maybe it’s the page about a red waterfall in Antarctica or the attractive page covered in honeycomb design. Actually, with such varied and engaging presentation, I think that each page has its own unique appeal.
There is also a comprehensive and expertly compiled index at the end of the book to help readers find specific topics within it, which is the only conventional feature of the book.
I recommend Return to Factopia for 7-9 year olds who enjoy factual texts that extend their general knowledge. Being an easy and entertaining read and a text that can be read in snippets, it’s an excellent option for kids who’re used to fast paced entertainment and it would suit reluctant readers who find the length of a novel daunting.
Reviewed by Barbara Swartz
