Maps and atlases for schools

This chapter explores some of the issues surrounding the production and use of school atlases in the UK, with a particular emphasis on the needs of younger pupils and adolescents. It focusses on print rather than electronic productions and is based on the author’s own experience of writing and devising atlases for children and young adults over the last twenty five years. It is argued that devising a school atlas involves making many compromises and recognising contradictions. Articulating the principles which guide content selection is fundamental in developing a deeper understanding of atlas production.