North American Maps for Curious Minds: 100 New Ways to See the Continent

by Matthew Bucklan, Victor Cizek, Ian Wright (Foreword by), Jack Dunnington (Illustrator)

Overview

The Maps for Curious Minds series is back—with 100 vivid infographic maps that transform the way we understand the cultural and geographical wonders of North America

No matter how well you think you know North America, the 100 infographic maps in this singular atlas uncover a trove of fresh wonders that make the continent seem like the center of the universe. Did you know that North America is where the first T. rex was found? Or that it’s where you can visit the world’s biggest geode as well as its oldest, tallest, and largest trees—not to mention the world’s tallest and steepest roller coasters?! Brimming with fascinating insight (Who is the highest-paid public employee in each state?) and whimsical discovery (Where can you visit the world’s largest island in a lake on an island in a lake on an island?), this book highlights the unexpected contours of geography, history, nature, politics, and culture, revealing new ways to see North America—and the hundreds of millions who call it home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781615197484
Publisher:	The Experiment
Publication date:	11/30/2021
Series:	Maps for Curious Minds
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	177,974
Product dimensions:	18.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

As a boy in the 1990s, Matthew Bucklan eagerly awaited each new issue of National Geographic. There were just so many places, and they were all uniquely captivating. His favorite part was the centerfold map, which he would explore for hours. As he grew older, the nascent internet opened up a whole new world of geography, letting him see people and news from all of the places that had previously been mere points on a map. This love of human geography eventually propelled him to the state geography bee; today, he still can’t look away from a great map. He lives in the Milwaukee area.

Victor Cizek still owns a picture atlas he got as a kid on a trip to Washington, DC, and sees it as a source of inspiration for him to make this book, along with his visual arts background and geographically minded coauthor Matt. He grew up in and lives in northeast Ohio, represented by a steel mill on that old atlas.

Ian Wright runs Brilliant Maps, one of the most popular cartographic sites on the internet. In addition to being a cartophile, he’s also a keen walker. In 2015, he combined these two passions to become the first person to walk all of the newly expanded London Tube map. Originally from Canada, he now lives in the UK.

Editorial Reviews

"Grouped into broad categories (culture and customs, history, nature, etc.), these maps cover topics serious and less so . . . Whether browsing or looking for report inspiration, this visual, trivia-filled offering will get teens thinking outside the box."

Booklist

"An Indie Bestseller

"Information is beautiful and is beautifully arranged in the Maps for Curious Minds books. They’re a testament to the power of discovering facts and figures that you didn’t know you didn’t know. I have flicked back and forth through these books, (because they are perfect for dipping in and out of) exclaiming ‘I did not know that!’ They’re those sorts of books."

GeekDad

"Very cool. These are great maps."

Ken Jennings

"This simple book serves the schoolroom for all ages, the coffee table of any household, the shelf in any library, and a font of wonderfulness for any trivia gamer."

New York Journal of Books

"Fascinating maps that show the world as you’ve never seen it."

The Telegraph

"Whatever your interests, you are sure to find many surprises as you browse through this book."

Kids’ BookBuzz

"Become enthralled by this one-of-a-kind atlas of 100 full-color, infographic maps. Each one reveals something about the world you’ve never considered before."

The Hardwick Gazette

"Maps that reveal facets of life on our continent in entertaining visual ways."

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"Praise for Brilliant Maps for Curious Minds

2019 Foreword INDIES Gold Winner
An Indie Bestseller
Outstanding Works of Literature (O.W.L.) Award Shortlist Winner—Gift & Special Interest, 2019
A Junior Library Guild Selection

"Maps can tell you far more than where borders and beaches are located. Brilliant Maps for Curious Minds uses creative cartography to highlight assorted facts and figures."

The Wall Street Journal

An Indie Bestseller

“Information is beautiful and is beautifully arranged in the Maps for Curious Minds books. They’re a testament to the power of discovering facts and figures that you didn’t know you didn’t know. I have flicked back and forth through these books, (because they are perfect for dipping in and out of) exclaiming “I did not know that!” They’re those sorts of books.”—GeekDad

“Fascinating. . . . A captivating browse that will unobtrusively enlighten readers and upend things they thought they knew. . . . A great choice.”—Library Journal

“Maps that reveal facets of life on our continent in entertaining visual ways.”—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

“Very cool. These are great maps.”—Ken Jennings, Omnibus podcast host, record-setting Jeopardy! champion and co-host, and author of Maphead

“Whatever your interests, you are sure to find many surprises as you browse through this book.”—Kids’ BookBuzz

Praise for Brilliant Maps for Curious Minds

2019 Foreword INDIES Gold Winner
An Indie Bestseller
Outstanding Works of Literature (O.W.L.) Award Shortlist Winner—Gift Special Interest, 2019
A Junior Library Guild Selection

“Maps can tell you far more than where borders and beaches are located. Brilliant Maps for Curious Minds uses creative cartography to highlight assorted facts and figures.”—The Wall Street Journal

“Fascinating maps that show the world as you’ve never seen it.”—The Telegraph

“This simple book serves the schoolroom for all ages, the coffee table of any household, the shelf in any library, and a font of wonderfulness for any trivia gamer.”—New York Journal of Books

“Grouped into broad categories (culture and customs, history, nature, etc.), these maps cover topics serious and less so . . . Whether browsing or looking for report inspiration, this visual, trivia-filled offering will get teens thinking outside the box.”—Booklist

“Become enthralled by this one-of-a-kind atlas of 100 full-color, infographic maps. Each one reveals something about the world you’ve never considered before.”—The Hardwick Gazette

From the Publisher

10/01/2021

The authors of this atlas claim no particular cartography expertise—Bucklan is "geographically minded," while Cizek has a visual arts background—the book's coverage of North America is fascinating. The atlas aims to present geographical concepts that readers might never have thought of and will find compelling. Its seven sections (Geography, Politics and Power, Nature, Culture and Sports, People and Populations, Food and Health, and Industry and Transport) offer 100 total entries on topics that span the continent. Each entry features a large map and a written explanation. About the United States, the atlas presents data like the populations of military veterans in each state and the most common countries of origin for U.S. residents, plus fun items like the number of Waffle House locations in each U.S. latitude. Other infographic maps present data about Canada and Mexico too, and sometimes the 20 other North American nations (in the Caribbean and on the Central American isthmus), including the continent's biggest craters and attitudes toward LGBTQ+ people. The atlas is a captivating browse that will unobtrusively enlighten readers and upend things they thought they knew, like the sizes of Hawai'i and Alaska (huge!) compared to the contiguous United States. Illustrator Dunnington's accurate, accessible maps will be a visual springboard for lively discussions in classes or around the dinner table. VERDICT A great choice for school and public library collections.—Henrietta Verma, Credo Reference, New York

Library Journal