National Archives Buildings That Made Lo

by David Long, Josie Shenoy (Illustrator)

Take an incredible journey through the streets of London and see beautiful buildings as you've never seen them before! An elegant horizon of historic masterpieces mixed with sleek modern skyscrapers, the familiar London skyline seems to change every year. Using original architectural drawings from The National Archives brought to life by stunning artwork by Josie Shenoy, discover the rich heritage of some of London's most iconic buildings. Watch Buckingham Palace transform from a large country house into an opulent palace, spot Henry VIII playing tennis on the lawn of Hampton Court Palace, and get lost in the Palm House at Kew, London's very own tropical rainforest. This beautiful book from Blue Peter Award-winning author David Long and exceptionally talented artist Josie Shenoy is a historical kaleidoscope celebrating the magnificent buildings that made London.

Genres: Nonfiction, London, History

64 pages, Hardcover

Published March 8, 2018

About the author

Winner of the Blue Peter Book of the Year 2017, writer and journalist David Long has regularly appeared in The Times and the London Evening Standard, as well as on television and radio. He has written more than 30 books for children and adults and lives in Suffolk.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Although I liked this look at some famous buildings in London and I found the text interesting and informative, there was something about the illustrations and the busyness of the pages I found offputting. I like the illustrations on the cover but inside there are a lot of pastel shades used with lots of extra pieces of information, patterns and boarders with related objects which made the visuals crowded, muddled and overwhelming for me. The text and details are tiny, had they left out some of the background patterns or used a contrasting colour I would have found this more enjoyable.

[Luke Nicholls · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully presented non-fiction book, probably more suited for KS2 than below. The phenomenal artwork will draw in any reader, but the incredible plethora of facts about London and its buildings will be what keeps children returning again and again. Brilliant introduction to our capital city for children who may never have had a chance to visit.

[Charlie Soame · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an excellent non-fiction book around London and the buildings that make up the city. I found this book as I was preparing to go away on a residential with a school working in Year 4. This book was an excellent introduction for the children for whom many had never been to London before and therefore this book was a great introduction for them to learn about the both the places and buildings we would see as well as expanding their knowledge around other aspects of London. The book is well written with a good amount of facts, knowledge and more than enough to keep the reader reading. For me this book was an excellent teaching tool but also a genuine exciting and interesting read. It is also important to note how I very much enjoyed the illustrations seen throughout the book which not only show and represent the buildings beautifully way but also within the images there is a lot going on. Often the pages are filled with colour, text and images. This gives the reader a lot to see and do, but that is exactly what London is and I think the illustrations show this manic city perfectly. This is a great book and especially for children who have not been to London or even for those who have but just want some more knowledge around the countries capital.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Illustrated using original architectural drawings from The National Archives, this non-fiction text takes readers on a journey across London. From Big Ben to Westminster Abbey, information is beautifully presented for many of the famous buildings that can be found across the city.

The Buildings That Made London could be shared for enjoyment or used when teaching the History programmes of study. Due to the evolution of London through time and the subsequent content of the book, would need to identify areas of the book that relate directly to the event, people or place being taught. I would not recommend trying to read the book as though it was non-fiction and instead select a few pages to share or those that contain appropriate information. This book could also be used in English to demonstrate how information texts can be presented.

I would recommend this book for pupils in KS2 due to the content although it could be used with pupils in KS1 to discuss London and the buildings that they may have visited and/or heard of.

[Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative and delightfully illustrated with so many little details. Such fun!

[Shari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous!

[Georgina Heatley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Reyes Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5⭐.
BEAUTIFUL artwork and design.