Younger readers will discover dinosaurs, stars, explorers, landmarks and more in these maps and travel books chosen by Vivien Godfrey, head of Stanfords.

Maps Special Edition, £25

This book was already popular in our children’s department and has been made even better with this special edition, which includes 16 new maps. The collection of 68 maps takes you through 58 countries and six continents. It is packed with illustrated information, which includes famous historical figures, local dishes, festivals, wild animals and landmarks.

Maps of the United Kingdom, £17.99

We held the launch for Maps of the United Kingdom at the Stanfords store in London. Technically aimed at children, it contains lots of information and facts. It’s so well put together, especially when it comes to choosing the seven famous people with a connection to each county: Norfolk, for example, includes Boudicca and Philip Pullman.

Harry Potter’s London: The Film Location Walk, £3.99

Harry Potter’s London is a map that features information on three walks taking in the best of the central London locations featured in the hugely popular films. The walks cover Piccadilly Circus to Westminster Bridge via Trafalgar Square; King’s Cross station, with its famous Platform 9¾.

Usborne First Sticker Book Flags, £5.99

Learn the flags of every country in the world by placing the flag stickers on the correct countries on the maps. This contains fascinating facts about countries and why certain flags feature their particular designs. There are fun questions throughout, including, “Some African flags have a diagonal stripe. How many can you find?”

Is comprehension the same whether a person reads a text onscreen or on paper? And are listening to and viewing content as effective as reading the written word when covering the same material? The answers to both questions are often “no”. The reasons relate to a variety of factors, including reduced concentration, an entertainment mindset (心态) and a tendency to multitask while consuming digital content.

When reading texts of several hundred words or more, learning is generally more successful when it’s on paper than onscreen. A large amount of research confirms this finding. The benefits of print reading particularly shine through when experimenters move from posing simple tasks — like identifying the main idea in a reading passage — to ones that require mental abstraction — such as drawing inferences from a text.

The differences between print and digital reading results are partly related to paper’s physical properties. With paper, there is a literal laying on of hands, along with the visual geography of distinct pages. People often link their memory of what they’ve read to how far into the book it was or where it was on the page.

But equally important is the mental aspect. Reading researchers have proposed a theory called “shallowing hypothesis (假说)”. According to this theory, people approach digital texts with a mindset suited to social media, which are often not so serious, and devote less mental effort than when they are reading print.

Audio (音频) and video can feel more engaging than text, and so university teachers increasingly turn to these technologies — say, assigning an online talk instead of an article by the same person. However, psychologists have demonstrated that when adults read news stories, they remember more of the content than if they listen to or view identical pieces.

Digital texts, audio and video all have educational roles, especially when providing resources not available in print. However, for maximizing learning where mental focus and reflection are called for, educators shouldn’t assume all media are the same, even when they contain identical words.

These Children’s Books Written by Celebrities(名人) Are Perfect for Your Little Kids

Kelly Clarkson Wrote a Book Inspired by Her Daughter

When Kelly Clarkson wrote River Rose and the Magical Lullaby, she named the main character after her young daughter. The story follows Rose, who finds herself in a magical dream world, guided by the voice of her mother. Writing the book offered the American Idol winner a new challenge. She said, “It’s so helpful with learning.”

Jim Carrey Is on a Roll with This Book

Jim Carrey’s 2013 book, How Roland Rolls, however, is very much for the little ones. The winner of the 2013 Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award, How Roland Rolls is about a wave who worries about what will happen when he finally hits the beach. His fear disappears when he realizes he’s more than just a wave, but he’s the entire ocean! Coming up, this horror film star isn’t trying to scare(使害怕) any kids with her book.

Jamie Lee Curtis Has Been Writing Since the 1990s

You might know her best from the Halloween series movie. This Is Me is a story about immigration(外来移民). Curtis says she has no political intentions with her book, saying, “Every person has an immigrant story about their ancestors, and we’re losing that. I thought it was important to connect that thread back to who we are.”

Steve Martin’s Books Prove He’s a Comedian for All Ages

You may have ever read one of his books, like Shopgirl. If you’re a fan of his and you have kids, you’ll be happy to know that now your kids can read his books, too. Since getting into children’ literature, Martin has written and published several books, including Late for School and The Alphabet From A to Y with Bonus Letter Z. Each letter of the alphabet is paired with a poem by Marin.