The latest two volumes in this series (for earlier volumes see RR 99/395 Sydney and Moscow; RR Vol. 13/3 Beijing and Berlin) take on a couple of the “biggies”: whether in size, historical, cultural, political or general significance, London and Paris are two of the world’s greatest cities. Too great and too much to squeeze each of them into a 48‐page volume? Almost, perhaps, but as with the previous volumes in the series, these two manage to cover the enormous range of both cities rather well: they are up‐to‐date, too, as Ken Livingstone’s candidacy for the Mayor of London manages to get featured. So, too, does an earlier Lord Mayor, Dick Whittington (and the cat). There is only room in the usual double‐page spread “chapter” for six London characters: the other four are Wren, Dickens, Ellen Terry and Octavia Hill ‐ a thoughtful selection encompassing the necessary obvious and others less obvious. This is typical of the care taken in selecting content for both volumes.
The standard thematic chapters cover both cities surprisingly comprehensively, and colourfully, too, with plenty of illustrations from all periods, short features and fact boxes. They come complete with timeline, glossary and index. The depth and diversity of both cities, ancient and modern, are well encapsulated in two volumes, combining text, illustration and presentation ideally for reference by the target 8‐11‐year‐old age range. This series is really establishing itself as an excellent reference source for children’s library or classroom.
