Dead or Alive? by Clive Gifford and Sarah Horne
| Dead or Alive? by Clive Gifford and Sarah Horne | |
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| Category: Children's Non-Fiction | |
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Reviewer: Sam Tyler
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| Summary: What is better than being dead? Alive! Many animals would agree with you and that is why they have come up with some wacky and weird ways to prevent them becoming lunch. Enter a world of fun facts, colourful imagery and prepare to be shocked! | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 48 | Date: August 2014 |
| Publisher: Red Shed | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 9781405268585 | |
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Animals do the most amazing things, but dying is not one of them. In fact, animals dislike dying so much that over the millennia they have evolved many ingenious ways of not being dead – or as scientists like to call this not dead state; alive. What better way to avoid death than to act dead or smell so bad that no one would possibly want to eat you?
There are these and many other ingenious ways of avoiding the Grim Reaper in Clive Gifford’s Alive or Dead. This is the type of fact book that really inspired me as a child and they still do to this day. Gifford has created a great balance between facts and interesting illustrations, as provided by Sarah Horne. The pages are not too full of information, but not too empty either. The balance is perfect for a younger reader 5-8 who is starting to want to read on their own at a more advanced level.
The book is split into segments that explore different ways that animals have evolved over time. Each is presented over four or so pages in fabulous colour. The book is a sturdy larger hardback so feels really vibrant when you open the pages up and get a splash of colour and some gruesome facts emerge. Who doesn’t want to hear a story about a hamster that was buried, only to rise up again and scurry around the garden after digging its way out?
As well as being fun, Alive or Dead? also has plenty of educational appeal. None of the information is forced upon the reader; they won’t know they have learnt something until it is too late. The book is so well written and drawn that it feels like fun to learn. For the more studious reader, there is a glossary available to pick up on some of the more complex terms found in the book.
Alive or Dead? is an ideal book for a child in that tricky stage between wanting to read with you and read alone. It is simple enough for them to pick up and read, but also tricky enough so that they can come up and ask questions. With so many pages full of fun facts this may happen more often than you think and don’t be shocked if you find yourself surprised by some of the answers.
If this book appeals then you might also enjoy Eye Benders: The Science of Seeing and Believing by Clive Gifford and Professor Anil Seth and Animal Lives: Lions by Sally Morgan.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Dead or Alive? by Clive Gifford and Sarah Horne at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
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