This excellent series maintains a refreshing balance between science, folklore, literature and art. Jane Walker writes with clarity, but without patronising her readers. The art-work links with the text and is spectacularly good. There are no cartoon gimmicks, just large, colourful and accurate drawings.

Each book is crammed with facts, projects, cross curricular links, quizzes and finishes with an unambiguous glossary. The natural history volumes have a very strong emphasis on British species, which is often lacking in rival publications. Although written for primary school pupils, there is plenty here for older children.

There are a couple of points in Seashore with which I would take issue. The section on “limpet racing” suggests that these molluscs can be easily observed while moving. Apart from the fact that it is dangerous to examine rock pools at high tide, this misses the point that limpets always return to precisely the same place. There is also some confused labelling in the seashell and marine birds sections.

Rocks and Minerals is written in a lively, humorous style. Equally commendable are the volumes on volcanoes, weather and the solar system. All these books adopt a fresh approach, which is likely to appeal to a wide range of children.