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Our World By the Numbers: A Book of Infographics
From Caldecott Honor–winning author-illustrator Steve Jenkins comes a fascinating, comprehensive, and in-depth look at our world as seen through numbers, facts, and stunning infographics. With his signature style, Steve Jenkins uses engaging graphics and visual literacy to convey scientific facts and concepts, making them accessible for all kinds of readers. In Our By the Numbers readers will learn about the complex and wonderful place we call home. This book opens wide on the solar system and then zooms in on planet Earth—its history, its creatures, its climate, and its future. Discover some of the most fascinating aspects of our world through astonishing the stretch of time from Earth’s formation to the present, how often lightning strikes in one day, the temperature at the center of the sun, what percentage of Earth’s land is covered in deserts or forests or cities, and so much more. This compendium is ideal for curious young readers, with fact-packed and image-driven pages detailing the astonishing phenomena that make our universe such an incredible place to live.
168 pages, Hardcover
Published October 15, 2024
7 people want to read
About the author
Steve Jenkins
135 books238 followersSteve was born in 1952 in Hickory, North Carolina. His father, who would become a physics professor and astronomer (and recently his co-author on a book about the Solar System), was in the military and, later, working on science degrees at several different universities. We moved often. Steve lived in North Carolina, Panama, Virginia, Kansas, and Colorado. Wherever he lived, he kept a menagerie of lizards, turtles, spiders, and other animals, collected rocks and fossils, and blew things up in his small chemistry lab.
Because he moved often, Steve didn't have a large group of friends, and he spent a lot of time with books. His parents read to him until he could read himself, and he became an obsessive reader.
His interest in science led me to believe that I'd be a scientist himself. At the last minute, he chose instead to go to art school in North Carolina, where he studied graphic design. After graduation he moved to New York City, where he worked in advertising and design, first in large firms and then with his wife, Robin Page, in their own small graphic design firm. Robin, also an author and illustrator, is his frequent collaborator — they've made sixteen children's books together.
Their daughter Page was born in 1986 and our son, Alec, two years later. They began reading to them when they were just a few months old, and Steve became interested in making children's books himself. My wife and I read to our two older children almost every night until hisdaughter was 12 or 13, long after they were reading on their own. It was, in many ways, the best part of the day.
In 1994 they moved to from New York City to Boulder, Colorado, where they work in a studio attached to their house, which was built in the 1880s and often functions as if it were still the 19th century.
Their youngest son, Jamie, was born in 1998. The questions his children asked over the years have been the inspiration for many of their books.
Librarian's Note: There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database.
Because he moved often, Steve didn't have a large group of friends, and he spent a lot of time with books. His parents read to him until he could read himself, and he became an obsessive reader.
His interest in science led me to believe that I'd be a scientist himself. At the last minute, he chose instead to go to art school in North Carolina, where he studied graphic design. After graduation he moved to New York City, where he worked in advertising and design, first in large firms and then with his wife, Robin Page, in their own small graphic design firm. Robin, also an author and illustrator, is his frequent collaborator — they've made sixteen children's books together.
Their daughter Page was born in 1986 and our son, Alec, two years later. They began reading to them when they were just a few months old, and Steve became interested in making children's books himself. My wife and I read to our two older children almost every night until hisdaughter was 12 or 13, long after they were reading on their own. It was, in many ways, the best part of the day.
In 1994 they moved to from New York City to Boulder, Colorado, where they work in a studio attached to their house, which was built in the 1880s and often functions as if it were still the 19th century.
Their youngest son, Jamie, was born in 1998. The questions his children asked over the years have been the inspiration for many of their books.
Librarian's Note: There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 28, 2024
Page after page of cool graphics and "wait, that can't be right — can it?" facts…what's not to love?
The book is divided into seven sections — Solar System, Planet Earth, History of the Earth, One Day on Earth, Creatures on Earth, Disasters on Earth and Future of the Earth — and each is fascinating in its own way. But it's the "One Day" section that really blew my mind, (with the less-than-optimistic "Future" coming in a depressing second). Yes, it's hard to believe we blink 17,000 times a day, or shed 500 million skin cells. But it's even harder to accept that every single day 15 billion cigarettes are smoked (causing 27,000 deaths); 50 million pounds of plastic waste reach the ocean (equivalent to two billion plastic water bottles); over half a million TV sets and a quarter million cars are manufactured; 150-200 species go extinct (while around 50 new ones are named); mosquitos kill 2,500 people (while humans kill 1,300, dogs kill 150, crocodiles three…and sharks just 1 every 2-3 months); and — finally — humans consume 800,000 cows, 4 million pigs, 11 million ducks, 180 million chickens, and 2,700 million wild fish.
EVERY. DAY.
Here's a sentence probably no one's ever said before, but "Wang Chung said it best," way back in 1986:
The book is divided into seven sections — Solar System, Planet Earth, History of the Earth, One Day on Earth, Creatures on Earth, Disasters on Earth and Future of the Earth — and each is fascinating in its own way. But it's the "One Day" section that really blew my mind, (with the less-than-optimistic "Future" coming in a depressing second). Yes, it's hard to believe we blink 17,000 times a day, or shed 500 million skin cells. But it's even harder to accept that every single day 15 billion cigarettes are smoked (causing 27,000 deaths); 50 million pounds of plastic waste reach the ocean (equivalent to two billion plastic water bottles); over half a million TV sets and a quarter million cars are manufactured; 150-200 species go extinct (while around 50 new ones are named); mosquitos kill 2,500 people (while humans kill 1,300, dogs kill 150, crocodiles three…and sharks just 1 every 2-3 months); and — finally — humans consume 800,000 cows, 4 million pigs, 11 million ducks, 180 million chickens, and 2,700 million wild fish.
EVERY. DAY.
Here's a sentence probably no one's ever said before, but "Wang Chung said it best," way back in 1986:
The world in which we live,So...everybody have fun tonight??
The world on which all we are depends,
Whoever could forgive
The way we treat the world in which we live?
September 3, 2024
It took me a long time to finish this book because I'd have to stop and savor the information or run out and share it with a friend. The visual nature of the information presented in this "picture book" isclear enough to be understood by an elementary student, but more suited to a middle grade audience—and adults with a penchant for animals will love it as well. From a few actual size animal graphics to inventive but easy to digest charts, Jenkins wows the readers with statistics from the animal kingdom like who sleeps the most, who has the longest tongue, which animal lives the highest on Earth, and much more. Fascinating, thought-provoking, infinitely re-readable. Although the facts are presented in a very straight-forward manner, there is some shading, urging kids to prioritize conservation or rethink fear of sharks, for example. I like, too, how the graphics subtly teach about misinformation and the double-edged sword of statistics. A few meaty sources for further exploration are listed in the back matter. And don't miss the fun pie chart on the back flap below the author's biographic info.
February 3, 2025
In this nonfiction text, Jenkins introduces us to the Earth through the use of infographics.
By taking topics such as the solar system, Planet Earth, history of the Earth, disasters, creatures, & the future of Earth. He takes data and makes them pictorial through the use of graphics. This book gives so much information but does so in a way that is accessible to lower-level readers.
While the publisher suggests that it is appropriate for ages 6-10, I think that this would be a hit with middle grade reluctant readers as well.
This is highly recommended.
S.T.
School Librarian
By taking topics such as the solar system, Planet Earth, history of the Earth, disasters, creatures, & the future of Earth. He takes data and makes them pictorial through the use of graphics. This book gives so much information but does so in a way that is accessible to lower-level readers.
While the publisher suggests that it is appropriate for ages 6-10, I think that this would be a hit with middle grade reluctant readers as well.
This is highly recommended.
S.T.
School Librarian
November 30, 2024
One of the best books i read this year! It made me go "wow!" And "what!!??" So many time! I Highly recommend it
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews