Around the World in 80 Musical Instruments

Nancy Dickmann grew up in the USA, where she played baseball, ate hot dogs and read encyclopaedias for fun. She has now lived in England long enough to think that cold and rain are normal, but still has yet to try Morris dancing. Before becoming an author, she worked as an editor and publisher of children's books. Now, with Pushkin the Three-Legged Wonder Cat as her trusty assistant (in charge of lap-sitting), she writes books on a wide range of topics, including animals, space, history, health and explorers. The highlight of her career so far has been getting to interview a real astronaut to find out how they use the toilet in space! Sue lives and works in a little eco house in Newcastle upon Tyne with her husband and two children. She loves to draw, design and make things. Since leaving Edinburgh College of art in the late 1990s, she's worked in-house, on a freelance basis, as an illustrator, product/licensed character developer, a designer/maker of jewellery, greetings cards and wrapping paper - never a dull moment! Sue's inspirations are many - from knitted toys, Japanese design, and Scandinavian Chic to Modernism, Dick Bruna and Info-graphics. She's drawn to anything that is quirky, humorous and minimal in design, and hopes that this is reflected in her illustration.

• Percussion Instruments: 23 instrument entries, locator map, featurespreads on 'drums around the world' and 'music and war' - Stringed instruments: 23 instrument entries, locator map, feature spread on 'the orchestra' - Wind instruments: 23 instrument entries, locator map, feature spreads on 'Super-size instruments' and 'the voice' - Weird and Wonderful instruments: 21 instrument entries, locator map, feature spread on 'Marvellous modified instruments' - Each section also includes a 'make your own instrument' activity.