Maptastic!: Reimagining the World, One Map at a Time

Gr 4-7–Employing dymaxion, infrared, and color-coded maps, this title introduces readers to a wide range of geography-related topics, with interesting facts interspersed between the pages of maps. For instance, readers learn that vast reservoirs of water under the Sahara create oases; that seven percent of all people who ever lived are alive today; that mosquitoes were responsible for 780,000 deaths in 2016; and that 100 million particles of space debris currently orbit the Earth. The book explains the inadequacies of traditional flat maps and how modern technology, including laser-scanning and satellite communications, helps create more accurate maps and unearth never-before-seen geographical details. Laser-scanning the Earth’s surface has led to, for example, the 2023 discovery of an ancient Mayan city. Historical maps are also represented in this book, including Frau Mauro’s 1450 map of the world and maps of Columbus’s voyages. The final chapter offers a wide sampling of the many types of maps (political, physical, dot) that exist, as well as many variations in map projections (cylindrical, conic). The book’s colorful maps accompanied by succinct explanations tell the story of world geography in a digestible manner that will help students retain important information.