Encyclopedia of the Ordinary Things

"Who said that ordinariness must be boring? This book shows ordinary things in a new light! Even shoes, perfume, or toilets have their origin, evolution and an inventor! Explore their secrets! Just the sort of thing I would have absolutely loved when I was a curious, knowledge seeking child.  Beautiful pictures.  Would make a wonderful holiday gift." ―Tammy B, Reviewer

 "Who said ordinariness is boring? This book shows ordinary things, along with their origins and inventors, in a new light. Come explore their secrets! They’re all around us. We use them daily, pass them by, and it never occurs to us to stop and think about where they came from. What, you ask? The most ordinary things in the world, of course! Shoes, umbrellas, toothbrushes, toothpicks, socks, dolls, and so on and so forth. How did they come to be? Who invented them, how did they develop and change over time? If you’d like to know the answer to these questions, to peek behind the curtain that drapes the most ordinary stuff in mystery, then definitely read on and learn the story of common things." ―YA Books Central

"The perfect little book to answer the most asked question: "Why?" Every parent knows that children don't stop asking this question after they learned it. All of us were probably stuck at one point trying to answer. This encyclopedia has answers to a bunch of questions related to objects in our everyday life, such as beds, shoes, toilets, toothbrushes, toys, umbrellas, and so many more. The illustrations are fun and engaging. The visual chronology showing how things changed throughout the centuries is perfect for curious little minds. Amusing little facts are sprinkled all over the encyclopedia making it fun to read and understand. What's even better is that you'll learn together with your child. I was today-years-old when I found out the high-fashion of toys in Ancient Egypt were dolls made to resemble mummies." ―Diana Livesay, Reviewer

"I'm impressed with the scope and depth of this book. These are not quick overviews. Every aspect of an ordinary thing is examined." ―Martha D, Reviewer

"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." ―Seattle Book Review