A Compendium of Curious Contraptions: A Guessing Game About History’s Most Unusual Artifacts

Gr 3-6–Drawing on historical objects from a range of places and times, this lift-the-flap exploration of history’s mysteries is a quirky, engaging read. From Arctic snow goggles to automatons, readers explore clues to uncover the uses of a range of brightly illustrated historical artifacts; by lifting a flap they can find the answer. However, not all curious contraptions can be decoded, and the book includes the as-yet mysterious dodecahedron, dating back almost 2,000 years, that have been found across Europe. Theories abound, and the chance that readers might actually unravel this historical mystery feels possible, not patronizing. Eclectic information makes the book useful to readers who are browsing and exploring but it may not be as useful as a reference tool for those in search of specific information. However, the book will certainly spark questions and could easily launch a range of inquiries for readers faced with their first ­research project. For those who enjoy random facts, bite-sized information, and occasionally gross history, this book will offer them even more fuel for their curiosity.