Martha Maps it Out by Leigh Hodgkinson

Beginning in the universe, Martha explains she is really tiny - you probably can't even find her. Let's zoom in a little. Now we can see the full solar system including planet earth but where is Martha? Let's get closer to our planet. The map shows all of the continents along with iconic animals and landmarks but we need to move even closer to see Martha. She lives in a city which has shops, a theatre, a library, parks and a huge train station but Martha does not live in the centre of the city so lets move across to her street. Martha lives in an apartment up on the top floor. Here is the map of her bedroom which is filled with all the things she loves. 

You can see inside this book here. And I found a video of Leigh Hodgkinson showing you how she draws maps. 

Every page is a treat with so much for young readers to explore and it’s delightfully positive, celebrating all the opportunities Martha has for adventure and discovery. Books for Keeps

Leigh Hodgkinson is brilliant at presenting quirky details in her visuals and this book of Martha’s maps is absolutely alive with them. To these are added a wealth of labels that children will love to explore as they, one hopes, like Martha will share that sense of optimism and excitement about what the future might hold. Red Reading Hub

I know lots of schools collect books about maps and mapping to link with the Geography syllabus. This is a book you can use with the youngest children in Kindergarten, Grade One and Grade Two. This book would also be a terrific gift and in paperback it is a very good price - why not pick up a few copies and use them for Birthday gifts?

The perfect companion book to read alongside Martha Maps it Out would be this one My Place in Space by Roland Harvey (sadly now out of print but sure to be in many school libraries).

I have previously talked about these:

My Heart is a Compass

Henry's Map

Camilla Cartographer

You can see other books by UK author Leigh Hodgkinson here.