This is an interesting and broad read. I was disappointed because I had hoped the book would be a bit more of a how-to book, and go into details of triangulation, projections, and constructing legends. This book is somewhere between a survey and a specialized book. It definitely covers, or at least touches on most details important to what maps are, and spends most of its content on a history of map-making and surveying the many different things that can be mapped. In respect to the latter, the book is admirably thorough, mentioning GPS, CT scanning, astronomy, and all sorts of diagramming, including instructions for constructing LEGO peices. The book definitely conveys to the reader the benefits and importance of viewing the world through this way.
Unfortunately the book falls short of the completeness its specialized nature promises. While it does answer a lot of the questions one would pose for a book on this topic (What is the oldest map known? Where is the largest globe? How does the brain understand a map?), the book is somewhat inconsistent and misses opportunities for students to explore deeper. For example, there are interesting maps and illustrations in the section on mapping the sky, including a thousand year-old sky chart from China, but there is no comprehensive map of the sky for the student to reference and little explanation of the images, and therefore the lines on the Chinese map are just squiggles. Also, the writer does not describe declination and right ascent, which are important and relatively simple aspects of understanding maps of the sky. Unfortunate holes crop up in other areas as well, but the book does contain a lot of interesting and surprising information. One particular criticism I had is that the book introduces the term "gore" at some point, but never defines it. By context I assume a "gore" is a flat piece of map that is attached to the surface of a globe, so that a round globe is composed of x number of flat gores. The book could have used a glossary, at least in this respect.
Inconsistency and shallowness aside, the book is interesting, thought-provoking, and creative in addressing the broad world of map-making. I would definitely suggest this book for a serious science or social studies student, as way of a channeling their interest into a systematic and constructive perspective. If there was room enough in a geography class, I could see this book being an interesting read and an adequate and engaging introduction to maps, though the breadth of the book's scope would tend to make large parts of the book less relevant for the class. ( )

Young, who has written several great young adult novels, brings that same, fine writing style to this book on maps. Readers will be pleasantly surprised by the fabulous discussion opportunities Young makes available. Consider: “Some people argue that only the military should be allowed to see things this closely, so that they can keep a close eye on anyone who might threaten national security. Some say that either nobody should—or everybody shoud. How do you feel about technology so refined that cameras can look in your bathroom window?” (p. 72). This book is filled with sidebars on everything from mini biographies to comics to detailed looks at the science of map making. There is an excellent list of web sites at the end of the book (most of which still work exactly as typed). And, finally, this book is about making maps. Some may think this limits the book to Atlases, globes, road maps, etc. Maps, however, can be made of the brain, the body, the heart, etc. Maps can be made of engines, cars, bombs. Consequently this book has far more uses in the classroom than geography and political science classes! ( )