The Fact Book – serie

Welcome to the amazing world of flags! Did you know that each flag is actually a picture that sends a message to everyone who sees it?

In The Flag Book, Lonely Planet Kids introduces you to the flags of every country in the world, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, and tells you what their design, colours, and images represent, along with lots of other incredible facts.

What's the only country that doesn't have a rectangular flag? Why does Hawaii's state flag feature the UK's Union Jack in one corner? And what do the 13 stripes of the USA's Star Spangled Banner represent? You'll find out the answer to all these and much, much more.

We'll then show you the other fascinating ways flags are used throughout the world. Learn the International Code of Flag Symbols to communicate with ships at sea; read about flags used in sports, like Formula 1's chequered flag; marvel at flags commemorating world records and incredible human achievements; and peer with a microscope at the planet's smallest flag, which is no wider than a human hair.

But that's not all! Travel back in time to the Golden Age of Piracy and have your timbers shivered by the bloodthirsty flags of 'Black Bart' Roberts and his fellow pirates sailing the Caribbean.

Chapters include:

About Lonely Planet Kids: Lonely Planet Kids - an imprint of the world's leading travel authority Lonely Planet - published its first book in 2011. Over the past 45 years, Lonely Planet has grown a dedicated global community of travellers, many of whom are now sharing a passion for exploration with their children. Lonely Planet Kids educates and encourages young readers at home and in school to learn about the world with engaging books on culture, sociology, geography, nature, history, space and more. We want to inspire the next generation of global citizens and help kids and their parents to approach life in a way that makes every day an adventure. Come explore!

Explore the amazing world of maps from the first sketches on cave walls to real time maps on phones. Discover their incredible history and marvel at ancient maps, war maps, weather maps and even interactive maps from computer games. Packed with awesome facts, kids will soon grasp how to read maps and symbols - plus learn how to make their own!

Wow-factor maps, astounding historic photographs and lively text make this incredible map book the ultimate gift for kids - and grown ups too. Insightful case studies including Winston Churchill's Map Room and John Snow's groundbreaking 1854 cholera map will fascinate readers and aid learning; while unusual maps of the night sky, wildlife, populations, time-zones and even famous maps from literature and video games show the full breadth of the many mind-blowing maps in existence.

Inside The Maps Book:

- An exciting journey through the history of maps including ancient maps, the first ever world map, the mapping of the world wars and beyond

- Vibrant artwork, unusual maps, historic photos and engaging text bring the world of maps to life

- Fascinating case studies aid learning and comprehension

- Revolutionary modern maps explained in detail covering GPS, online maps, streetview, 3D mapping, magnetic-field maps, map apps on phones, flight radar maps and other uses of modern cartography

- Making maps, using mapping tools and understanding more about the equipment cartographers use to create and design maps

- How to read a map including longitude and latitude, grid lines, contour lines, symbols and keys as well as directions for using a compass - plus how to make your own map

- Full-breadth of maps and their purposes such as political maps, infographic maps, transport maps, city maps, weather maps, topographic maps, geological maps, population maps, archaeology maps and mapping the natural world including climate change

-Unique and quirky maps that kids and adults know and love like Middle Earth and 100 Acre Wood to board game maps and mapping in best-selling video games

The Maps Book is the latest in Lonely Planet Kids' The Fact Book series following on from The Travel Book, The Cities Book, The Big Earth Book, The Animal Book, The Flags Book, The Oceans Book, The Dinosaur Book and The Weather Book. Written by British author and archaeologist, Jo Bourne, this definitive guide to maps will keep curious minds engaged as they take a deep dive into the amazing world of cartography.

About Lonely Planet Kids: Lonely Planet Kids - an imprint of the world's leading travel authority Lonely Planet - published its first book in 2011. Over the past 45 years, Lonely Planet has grown a dedicated global community of travellers, many of whom are now sharing a passion for exploration with their children. Lonely Planet Kids educates and encourages young readers at home and in school to learn about the world with engaging books on culture, sociology, geography, nature, history, space and more. We want to inspire the next generation of global citizens and help kids and their parents to approach life in a way that makes every day an adventure. Come explore!