This is a fascinating and well-executed book that is a delight to browse through; it has its limitations, however. The basic object is to provide comparative information across a range of examples of different entities of many different types, in an attractive and easily-graspable visual style. Each page or two-page spread provides a colorful overview of some category or phenomenon, represented in simplified form, employing arresting and thought-provoking graphics displays to convey basic information about that thing. Typical spreads include: silhouette pictures of various examples of a particular category (dinosaurs, rockets, airplanes, etc.), drawn to scale to illustrate relative size; simple bar charts of some phenomenon, labeled with pictures, that rank each example according to some measurable quantity; flow diagrams (of the blood, rivers, transit systems, etc.) illustrated with colored paths and arrows; and in some cases just pictures with labels. The graphics are simple, brightly-colored, and charming.
The range of topics covered is broad and somewhat quirky; the book is engaging and amusing to browse through. The emphasis seems to be on science and nature, but there are many other types of entries included.
However, it does not really work as either a non-fiction text or a reference book. The information categories illustrated are disjointed, widely various, and not systematically organized. Also, each entry, though fascinating in its own way, actually conveys very little information. Typically, each entry is organized around one particular facet of the entities profiled - size, weight, height, etc. The graphic effectively conveys that information, but usually only that information - the comparative size diagrams are two-dimensional and do not convey volume, speed, strength, or any other information that might be interesting about those items; the flow charts indicate direction but not speed, flowrate, etc. The complete lack of text leaves out vast amounts of information about each entry that a more comprehensive text would include, and the diagrams often lack labeling - for instance, the size diagrams visually indicate relative sizes but there is often no scale given, so you know how big two things are in relation to each other, but not how big either of them actually is in absolute terms!
The book is a fun and intriguing way to find out about a variety of interesting types of things in the world, particular by way of comparison within categories. It makes a great entry point for young children who show an interest in nature, science, or technology, and who relate best to pictures rather than words. It can be a jumping-off point for those who find themselves interested in some of the things shown and then want to pursue other resources to find out more. And it is a cool and entertaining bit of brain stimulation for readers of all ages. It is not comprehensive, scholarly, or rigorous, but there are other books for that. For what it is, it is clever, beautifully laid out and illustrated, and a lot of fun.