I spend a lot of time in London for work, and we tend to walk to a lot of our destinations which works out quite well since London days are long days and long days tend not to include time for the gym. But, as you walk from Euston to Waterloo or Elephant and Castle, you also get to see a lot of a wonderful city. I've never lived there, but I feel like every week I know it a little better. This book is London all over and whether you live elsewhere in the UK or further afield, it's a fantastic way to learn more about the place.
| L is for London by Paul Thurlby | |
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| Category: Children's Non-Fiction | |
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Reviewer: Zoe Morris
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| Summary: A lovely tour through the alphabet, and through London, this is a classic whatever your age. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 64 | Date: October 2015 |
| Publisher: Hodder Children's Books | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1444918779 | |
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The best word to describe this book is beautiful. Beautifully presented, beautifully illustrated, beautifully done. It opens with the most British of icons: red London busses, red pillar boxes, black cabs and marching guards. It has a touch of A A Milne to it and is whimsically nostalgic. Over the page we have a map of London, reasonably accurate with an understandable touch of artistic license applied. It certainly showcases the many delights of the city, from the Tower to the Royal Albert Hall.
The main bit of the book is an A-to-Z guide to the city. A is for Abbey Road, B is for Borough Market, right through to Z is for London Zoo. Each letter gets two full pages with facts and illustrations, and every item is quintessentially London: H is for Harrods, D is for Downing Street. The author does pretty well and there's only one hmmmm moment which is when X is for OXO tower.
This is the most modern of books, with references including the Olympics and the spectacular poppies at the Tower last November. It's definitely my London rather than my parents' London as things like the London Eye and ice skating at Somerset House would not have made the cut in the 70s when they were at university there.
There's absolutely nothing to fault with this book. The presentation is stunning and it never slips. The facts are interesting and it stops before there are so many you feel like you're reading a school textbook. The pictures truly capture the heart of London, and for that I utterly recommend it.
Thanks go to the publishers for supplying this timeless book that will be a hit with all ages. Older readers might enjoy some of the titles on our Top Ten Books About London.
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You can read more book reviews or buy L is for London by Paul Thurlby at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy L is for London by Paul Thurlby at Amazon.com.
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