IF THE WORLD WERE 100 PEOPLE

When the world’s population is reduced to 100 people, similarities and differences become dramatically visible.

Budding mathematicians, economists, sociologists, and ecologists will all find something useful in this percentage-based look at human life on Earth. Reducing the world’s population of (roughly) 8 billion humans to a community of 100 souls allows readers to wrap their heads around some pretty big concepts: genetic diversity, geographic dispersal, and humanitarian themes such as living conditions (20 people don’t have safe homes), access to clean water (29 people don’t have such access), and wealth distribution (just 10 people control 85% of the world’s wealth). Each of 11 double-page spreads discusses a specific topic, and a final spread helps readers consider questions about our future. A colorful cast of unibrowed characters representing the world’s population fills each page, and the range of skin tones, hairstyles, garb, abilities, weight, and age will help readers understand just how diverse the human population can be. Astute readers will note that the same characters do not appear on every page, and some illustrations present noticeably fewer than the titular number. Educators may find the book a useful addition to their shelves, and the book may serve as a springboard for discussions or projects. A bibliography of digital sources appears at the front of the book to aid readers in understanding how the statistics in the book were compiled. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Statistically fascinating.