Marvellous Maps

by Simon Kuestenmacher and Margarida Esteves

Marvellous Maps is a playful, fact-filled book that celebrates the many ways maps can tell surprising stories about our world. Each page highlights something unexpected — like the spot in the ocean where no land is in sight (Point Nemo), which cities are closer to you (London or Paris?), or how the whole world snores. You’ll even find maps that are more whimsical than scientific, like the world drawn as a cat batting at Australia.

This isn’t a curriculum-heavy resource, but it’s the kind of book that sparks curiosity and invites readers to see maps in fresh ways. For neurodivergent learners, the mix of quirky facts and bold illustrations provides an accessible entry point into big ideas about our planet. It’s easy to dip in and out of, making it a fun, low-pressure companion for curious minds.

For families working on the Mythos and Maps project, Marvellous Maps is full of inspiration for creative cartography. It shows learners that maps don’t have to be limited to roads and borders — they can trace migrations, map the flow of data, or even imagine how the Earth might look if it were something else entirely. A great springboard for kids designing their own fantasy worlds.

NSW Curriculum Links

• Geography: GE3-1 (describes the diverse features and characteristics of places and environments)

• Geography: GE3-4 (acquires, processes and communicates geographical information using geographical tools for inquiry)

• English: EN3-RECOM-01 (fluently reads and comprehends texts for wide purposes, analysing text structures and language, and monitoring comprehension)

• Creative Arts – Visual Arts: VAS3.1 (investigates subject matter in an attempt to represent likenesses of things in the world)

• Creative Arts – Visual Arts: VAS3.4 (communicates about the ways subject matter is represented in artworks)