My amazing new Swiss map book for children

October 14, 2021, 5 Comments

Maps. I love them (though you probably know that already if you’ve read Around Switzerland in 80 Maps). But why settle for one map book when you can have two? So I wrote another one.

This one is very different. Instead of old maps, it’s packed with brand new colourful ones, specially created for the book by Dina Christ and Nicola Carpi. They also drew all the wonderful pictures and infographics that supplement each of the 20 maps in the book.

The book is arranged thematically, with chapters covering everything from Swiss history to inventions, native animals to trains, climate change to clocks, women’s rights to what we eat. Six regional maps at the end showcase the highlights of every canton.

As for the title? Well, that had to work in all three language versions of the book (English, French and German) so in true Swiss style we went with a Latin title: Cartographica Helvetica, or CH for short. I wonder where we got the inspriation for that?

Did you know that Switzerland fits into Germany eight times… but 232 times into China? Or that there are 65 trees for every person in Switzerland? Who was Henri Dunant? Do you know where Switzerland’s energy come from? Or whether the Swiss eat more apples or bananas?

A book for anyone aged 8 and up, so not only for children, even if they are the main audience as it answers questions curious young minds might have. It’s an entertaining and memorable journey through every corner and canton of this diverse country at the heart of Europe.

Order the book:

Available now in hardback direct from the publisher (with free shipping in Switzerland).

• in English (shipping worldwide for 10 francs)
• auf Deutsch
• en français

Or you can order it from all good bookshops.