Encyclopedia of the Ordinary Things

There are a lot of things we use every day and don’t really think about very much. They are ordinary and simply part of everyday life. The very random ten things covered in this book are shoes, skates, umbrellas, glasses, dolls, perfume, horse toys, toilets, toothbrushes, beds, and tights.

The first thing adults should know about this book is that, while it is fun and kids will like it, there are no references or sources for the material, and for the earliest instances of items, there is speculation about how things came about or what beliefs might be attached to them before there were any written records. That said, each section has a nicely illustrated timeline and good discussion about the likely evolution of the item. And each section has an additional spread that discusses related items. For instance, after the section on glasses, the spread discusses ski goggles, sunglasses, swimming goggles, and contact lenses, and toothbrushes is followed by braces, toothpicks, toothpaste, and dental replacements.

The text by Štěpánka Sekaninová is conversational and fun to read. The illustrations by Eva Chupíková are lush and beautifully rendered. Youngsters should realize this is not a reference book, but it is still some fun reading.