I’ve always been an advocate of reading for pleasure and I encourage my kids to read whatever they enjoy (admittedly to the annoyance of some of their teachers who want them to be reading books commensurate with their ability). For me, instilling a love of reading in a child is far more important than chasing a ‘reading age’, and I think that finding books and topics that appeal to children is absolutely key to that. That’s why I love books like this: quirky, funny and visually appealing reads, which encourage kids to pick them up. It’s a ‘brief’ read (sorry about that…) that will appeal to those who prefer to read in short chunks, has comical illustrations and an interactive cover, and is packed with funny and interesting info – even King Tut and Mahatma Gandhi make an appearance! It’s gone down a storm in our house, with the chapter headings of Crusty Old Buns, Underpants Around the World, Cheeky Inventions and Tushes Today Worldwide making my son chortle before he even reached the first page. I suspect this is a book that will be quickly squirrelled away to a bedroom and read under the duvet after lights out, with muffled giggles giving the game away…
A Brief History of Underpants.
Author: Christine Van Zandt
Illustrator: Harry Briggs
Publisher: Becker & Meyer! Kids