Education: Letter - `Useless' books cast a gloom

As a retired meteorologist and school governor, I recently examined the content of 10 books about the weather written for primary schools. They were so full of errors and half-truths as to be next to useless. The frequent peddling of wrong or out-of-date facts and ideas made it clear that the authors had so little grasp of their subject that they merely copied or misunderstood others, without knowing where to seek reliable sources. Attractive appearance is no substitute for truth.

Are there not likely to be similar problems with books on other subjects and at other stages in the curriculum? With the current emphasis on education, how can publishers make sure that their books are worth reading by busy teachers and their pupils?

David Pedgley, Crowmarsh, Oxfordshire