As the title suggests, large-scale, illustrated wall charts were common in European and American classrooms from the mid-1800s (with the advent of color lithography) to 1900s, and the collection of over one hundred Jung-Koch-Quentell botanical and zoological charts originally published by Fromann & Morian, which went out of business after World War II, reproduced in this book were some of the most popular. The wall charts, today treasured as decorative artwork, were executed in intricate detail, and range from the inner parts of a sunflower (Helianthus Annus) to the curious parts of a jellyfish (Aurelia aurita), providing readers with a tour of nature’s true beauty and the circle of life. Some illustrations seem antiquated—the plate showing a domestic cat (Felis catus) isn’t very specific while the blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), once a common species in nearly all oceans, is all but extinct—reminding us now just how far we’ve come, in positive and negative ways. In her scholarly and well-researched introduction, Katrien Van der Schueren, a VandM.com dealer who has been collecting educational charts for over a decade, relates the fascinating history of these vibrant works of art and science.