As a publisher you have to be willing to take a gamble to bring out a book for young people on so dry-as-dust a subject as case law. The creators of this book have succeeded admirably in presenting that subject, couched in accounts of actual cases, in a way that’s interesting not just to the intended target audience but also to adult readers.
Much effort has gone into the way the book has been produced, with such features as fold-outs that actually have a useful function. There’s nothing boring here. Page design is used in illustrating the narrative and to support the explanations of complex legal concepts. That enjoying the read is allowed to take precedence is clear right from the start – even the ‘colofon’ (publishing details) is provided with some entertaining and potentially useful hints in bubbles. The panel were not quite unanimous, however, as the front cover is comparatively abstract and aloof, not imbued so much with the mentality and atmosphere of the inviting interior. Strangely enough, in that regard the back cover is quite the opposite. Our advice, then, is this: just buy the book and leave it on the table face down.