I picked up one history book at a library book sale after seeing them recommended here, and was thoroughly unimpressed. Ordered a science one in the hope they would be better, but...
My issue with Rotten Romans: I have no idea why a history of the Roman Empire should start with Hadrian's Wall. This was a very narrow, "Romans as they interact with UK" history book, and as such rather disappointing. The other ones, if they focus explicitly on UK history, might not come across so... biased.
But there seems to be a lot about world history in the US that is viewed through an English lens, which I find, all things considered, rather ironic. So for all I know this aligns with US curriculum for social science...
My issue with both books was the intro, and the assumption that the child is finding and has always found history/science/whatever boring. But clearly even PG 6yos don't get the condescension? Or it gets better after chapter one?
I am mildly amused by Captain Underpants, and like British humor, so *that* is not the issue.
My AS DS9 wasn't interested in the books last year. But he doesn't really like his areas of interest messed up with stupid "humor" (which Captain Literal misses most of the time anyway) and really dislikes most the current writing targeted toward [the caricature of what] boys [should be].
