Editorial Review

Why do we have eyebrows? What's a black hole and what happens if you fall into one? What's the fastest a human is capable of running? Why do wet fingers stick to metal in the freezer? Where is the deepest point on Earth? Divided by subject area - humans, animals, environment/nature, technology, and space - and written in an upbeat manner, each answer is accompanied by either a photo or an illustration to show the reasons why. Of course, "Time for Kids" goes beyond answering the question by dipping into the science or history to further explain the answer in an easy-to-follow, straightforward manner. This is a must -have book to satisfy the most curious of kids and provokes a great way to encourage interest and knowledge about a wide range of subjects, as well as to stimulate reading. Kids will be desperate to share what they've learned with their parents, teachers, and friends...and anyone else who will listen. ... Read more

Reviews

Love it!
Love this book! Bought it for my daughter for Christmas this year. She is always curious how things work and I know she will love it. I thoroughly enjoyed looking through it myself.

why mom
the big book of why - helps the busy mom for some of answers that get us when we are not thinking on why mom - the little facts are fun for all ... Read more

Editorial Review

Science has never been so easy - or so much fun!With The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book, all you need to do is gather a few household items and you can recreate dozens of mind-blowing, kid-tested science experiments.High school science teach Tom Robinson shows you how to expand your scientific horizons - from biology to chemistry to physics to outer space.

You'll discover answers to questions like:
Is it possible to blow up a balloon without actually blowing into it?
What is inside coins?
Can a magnet ever be "turned off"?
Do toilets always flush in the same direction?
Can a swimming pool be cleaned with just the breath of one person?

Get ready to enter the laboratory and learn how to conduct cool experiments, understand scientific terms like "photosynthesis," and know fun facts like how many latex balloons per day can be made from a rubber tree.Each section has a great science fair project, complete with all the details you need to wow your teachers and friends.

You won't want to wait for a rainy day or your school's science fair to test these cool experiments for yourself! ... Read more

Reviews

Everything you need to have fun...(and learn, too)
This is a great book, chock-a-block w/ very accessible experiments. One of the best features is the way the experiments are grouped together: a 'theme' (say, Acids, in the Chemistry section) will have a group of experiments of varying degrees of complexity that together add up to a pretty good understanding of the concept. Also, most of the materials are readily at hand- for many of them we really did already have everything in the house. This is esp. gratifying for the kids, who of course want to do the experiment *right now*. I would imagine that home-schooling families would enjoy this, but our school-going kids enjoy doing these experiments after school & on weekends.

p.s., one of the easiest experiments is also a real showstopper, though it takes a couple of days to complete: dissolving the eggshell of an egg, leaving the egg inside intact!

Science fun for kids of all ages!
Wow, what a great book! My kids love it. It is set up as a series of activities that begin with a question followed by an experiment that answers the question. Questions such as "How do you peel a raw egg?", "Does air take up space?" and "Why can't I taste medicine when I plug my nose?" are all examples of questions posed in the book. The fun is in the experiment that answers the question. I think I counted something like 30 different experiments from 5 main science areas (biology, chemistry, physics, planet earth, and the human body). Following each area is a "science fair project" for the kids to use at the next science fair at school! What a great resource it will be for our family in the years to come. All in all a great book at a great price.

Great Resource for Parents!
I wish I had this book 15 years ago as we spent time at home playing "Mad Scientist" with our young children. Our kids are now all teenagers and have enjoyed exploring Robinson's book.
Children LOVE to experiment with their world. "The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book" offers parents and kids alike a wide array of adventures in science including: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science, and the Human Body. This book is oriented to kids ages 7-12 but offers information and exploration for budding scientists of all ages. I appreciate this book's easy entrance into the world of science and the three levels of experiments for each area of science: 1)Simple Home Experiments; 2)More Detailed "Kid's Lab Lessons"; 3)Science Fair Projects. The art layout (including multi-color printing, fun-graphics, puzzles, and side-bars), the splashy presentation of information (including fun facts, words to know, dumb-jokes, online science websites and cool quotes) and a complete index make this book an excellent resource for parents, homeschoolers and science teachers. For two other parenting resources, look into "The Family Cloister" and "The Christian Family Toolbox", both by David Robinson (...)

Fun, fun, fun!!!
I have a just turned 5 year old that LOVES science and experiments. Although this book I believe was recommended for older children, there are plenty of experiments that I can do with him at his age and get immediate results. Since there are experiments that are targeted for older children, this is one of the rare books that we'll be able to use for several years down the road. I love it so much it's going to be one of my staples in gift giving - it's easy & fun enough for those even not interested in 'science'.

UPDATE:
It's now been 2 years later and we STILL love this book and now his younger brother (4) enjoys this as well. It's always been a big hit with kids and parents alike when we give it as a gift...GREAT combined with a kids beginning science kit or plastic test tubes.

Kidz Love Science
I bought this book for my son, and liked it so much that I bought 10 copies to give to each child at my son's birthday party. He wanted a science party so this was the perfect take-home gift for the kids. Beats a goody bag full of candy and plastic toys... but I don't want to digress on how I hate goody bags at birthday parties! The experiments here are interesting and easy to set up. And, the puzzles and games on the side make it something the kids can pick up and read on their own.

GREAT!!!!!
2 things - 1) you have to do the dissolving egg experiment... it's fabulous!! 2) pay attention to the age range - my nephew (the intended recipient) loves science (okay, exploding things...) just turned seven and he is definitely too young for the detailed explanations. He didn't like the delayed gratification but he did get a kick out of the results the following week... for the younger kids you might want to do the experiments yourself and then once you have results let them get excited about it... the bouncing egg... after accepting that it didn't happen just then!! ... was a huge hit the next week. This really is just an AWESOME book...

Down to Earth Science
This book provides down-to-earth science using common everyday items that you have in your home to conduct experiments with. My grandchildren were able to have fun during the experiment itself and to come up with simple answers when we reviewed afterwards what occurred during the experiments. And yet, for all the simplicity, it was very exciting for them. And it was fun for me to see that they made the connection and looked forward to conducting yet more experiments. I highly recommend this book to all parents and their youngsters.

great book for young minds
My 6 year old son absolutely loves this book. He was so excited about the experiments that everyone we knew was told about the new experiment. He understanding what he is doing with the experiments. I would recommend this book and I have to his teacher at school.

Great Book For Young Scientists
This book was a great hit with my 8 year old son. It has a lot of great experiments and east to read instuctions. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Provides a complete, comprehensive overview of the Prequel movies (Episodes I-III) and the Trilogy (Episodes IV-VI), this is the definitive photographic guide to the entire Star Wars saga. ... Read more

Reviews

Wow!, September 27, 2006
What an amazing, thorough, comphrensive guide to everything Star Wars. NOTHING is left out. You get not only in depth profiles of every major character, but every OTHER character in the universe. It's so detailed that they break down each PART of each weapon, ship, etc. For someone like myself who isn't the biggest Star Wars geek (but wanting to learn more), this is a godsend. There are many, many, hardcore fans out there that can reference almost anything and anyone to do with Star Wars. Well, now you can too, and you don't have to see the films 3245 times to do it.

It's a great companion to the "Ultimate Visual Guide" as well. It is a combination of the Visual Dictionaries for the the other films, so all Episodes 1-6 are covered.

Buy it, NOW!

Nice 4 in 1, November 10, 2006
I bought this for my 9 year old son, who already owns the visual dictionaries from episodes 1 and 3. When this came out and it had all 4 visual dictionaries plus extra goodies thrown in at a fraction of the price to buy all 4 I jumped on it. My son loves it and has noticed many of the illustrations and info not included in the visual dictionaries he already had before. The one gripe I have is that it seems to not have the same quality of photos as the other visual dictionaries, but it might just be me. I don't think he has noticed.

THE ULTIMATE STAR WARS REFERENCE BOOK, January 31, 2007
I'm a Star Wars fan but I am not a fanatic. I can't name each character, droid, or vehicle the way die-hard fans can. So for guys like me, the Star Wars Complete Visual Dictionary makes the perfect and complete reference sourcebook. This oversized hardcover books is packed with 270 pages full of information on the Star Wars universes and backed up by hundreds of full-color photos direct from the films.

The book covers all six Star Wars films beginning with Episode I, The Phantom Menace. We meet Darth Sidious on the very first page and learn about the founding of the Republic. From there we meet characters such as Mace Windu, Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. But this isn't just a book that shows a picture of the character and their name, all sorts of interesting details are included. On the Obi-Wan two-page spread we'll see typical Jedi gear including their lightsaber. Each character, creature, druid, weapon, or vehicle entry includes a text entry about the subject.

Next, the book covers Episodes II and III in the same detail and with the same brilliant color photography. I never realized just how many different blasters were used in the films until I read this book. There's the Naboo Blaster, the KYD-21 used by Zam Wesell, The DC-15 Blaster carried by Clone Troopers, and the Westar-34 blaster of Jango Fett, and many, many more.

Finally the first three original Star Wars films are covered all as one section and if I do have one complaint about the book it's that these films only get 70 pages of coverage while the first three films get 200 pages. I think you can chalk that up to the newer films being broader in scope and having a much larger cast of characters and gadgets. Still, it was the original three films that I was most interested in reading about and I suspect that many share my feelings.

No matter how big a Star Wars fan you are, you'll still want to own this book!

Reviewed by Tim Janson

The ultimate visual guide to the characters and creatures of the "Star Wars" saga, October 18, 2006
To tell you the truth, I think this volume is entitled "Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary" because if they said it was a visual encyclopedia they would be leaving room for complaint. But DK is marketing this as a dictionary that provides "The ultimate guide to characters and creatures from the entire 'Star Wars' saga," and on that basis they certainly deliver. This volume brings together the four "'Star Wars' Visual Dictionaries," with new material including an more detailed look at Utapau, Mustafar, Order 66, and clone battle tanks from "Revenge of the Sith." At the same time coverage of the original trilogy has been expanded with overviews of the Rebel Alliance, Imperial personnel, the Sarlacc, R2-D2, and the unusual crowd down at the Cantina. So if you have the original four Visual Dictionaries you will find more here, but chiefly the appeal will be to newcomers who need help explaining to the next generation of "Star War" fans the names of all of the members of the Jedi High Council, exactly who makes up the Separatists, and how a Wookie bowcaster works.

I am one of those persons who went to the first showing of each of the films in the original trilogy. I went back repeatedly to see all three films, spending one afternoon watching "Star Wars" twice in a row just so I could pay attention to a different quadrant of the screen each time. This book is fully cognizant of the fact that nearly every scene in the "Star Wars" movies are filled with a wealth of visual information, from the instrument-laden starships and the uniquely crafted weapons to the architecture and culture of dozens of alien worlds. Over the years there have been "Star War" novels, reference books, comics, toys, and games that have provided names and back-stories to many of the backgro8und characters, devices, vehicles and structures George Lucas and the folks at ILM crammed into hundreds of frames. But this visual dictionary goes beyond that, as amply proven by the look at the INSIDE of a Stormtrooper helmet, that explains the four layer construction of outer plastoid composite armor, inner insulation, anti-laser mesh, and magnetic shielding, in addition to the Comtech Series IV speaker that uses three-phase sonic filtering for clear sound, the atmospheric cyclic unit, power cell, and other features all crammed inside the iconic white helmet. In other words, there are enough details here to keep die-hard "Star Wars" fans quite happy indeed and even those with an encyclopedic knowledge of the films will find new information,

"Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary" is written by Dr. David West Reynolds ("'Star Wars' Episode I: The Visual Dictionary"), James Luceno ("Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader"), and Ryder Windham ("'Revenge of the Sith' Scrapbook"), so collectively they have bona fides to spare. The book is divided into four sections representing Episode I, Episode II, Episode III, and Episodes IV-VI, so this visual dictionary follows the numerical chronology (not to be confused with the actual order in which these movies came out). The approach of the book, quite familiar to those who read DK's publications, is to provide a two-page spread on everything from the Phantom Menace to an expanded look at R2-D2. One of the nice things about working so closely with Lucasfilm and Industrial Light and Magic is that this book is able to incorporate hundreds of photographs that are not simply lifted from the films but taken for publicity, costume checks, and the like. The back of the book includes a brief Glossary of terms such as "carbonite" and "Tibanna gas," and an Index of several dozen key places, people and things (not a comprehensive index, but enough to help you track down all references to Coruscant, Padawans, and Luke Skywalker. Consequently I am convinced that my brother, who has all of the original "Star Wars" movie posters framed on the wall of his family room, will really enjoy this book as his Christmas present this year.

A Must for Star Wars Fans, November 10, 2006
These visual dictionaries are wonderful-- clean layouts, stunning photos and inventive descriptions. My son holds this one in high regard!

Star Wars Visual Directory, November 9, 2006
This rendition depicts full color pictures of a host of Star Wars characters. The utility tools of Star Wars are shown. i.e. pouch,
light saber, the druids photo receptor, the Senate Guard blue robe and the
tool demagnetizer. The Revenge of Lith is shown, as well as Order 66.
Phantom robots are depicted as well. The acquisition is perfect for
children and young teens. Star Wars enthusiasts will enjoy the rich color
presentation of the characters and the exotic machinery/tools depicted.
This would be a good holiday gift for young audiences.

don't bother if you already own all the visual dictionaries, December 26, 2006
I already own the visual dictionaries for I-VI. I thought there was going to be a lot of extra material in this book. I was disappointed. Most of the material is a carbon copy of what's in the individual visual dictionaries. So don't buy this book if you already own the visual dictionaries.

Good if you don't own the others, January 7, 2007
This is basically a compilation of all the previous Star Wars Visual Dictionaries. I use it mostly for prop reference and there's no reason to keep the other 4 Visual Dictionaries if you buy this one, plus there's a few pages of previously unpublished material added in to spice it up a bit.

A Great Read!, January 18, 2007
I gave this book to my 10 year old son for Christmas. He likes the book because when he watched the Star Wars movies he had many unanswered questions. This book not only points out the amazing features in this series, but it also answers some of those questions. He has spent MANY hours reading the information and looking at the wonderful images. That is why we think any Star Wars fan should read this book!

The Complete Visual Dictionary of Star Wars, March 16, 2007
I love it! All four visual dictionaries in on book and with extra pages. I think it is a great book for any Star Wars fan of any age. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Turn girls into terrific teachers! Using the tools in this kit, girls will be able to give their dolls an "A+" education. Activities range from planning lessons and grading tests to tracking attendance and rewarding students. Includes a chalkboard, world map, report cards, library books, flashcards, hall passes, and lots more doll-sized supplies for the classroom. ... Read more

Reviews

Wonderful toy, but you will need storage for all the little pieces., December 28, 2009
I wish they would have included little file boxes to put together to store all the little pieces of papers in. Other reviewers suggest a shoe box, but I needed a tiny box to hold the tiny file folders upright so their contents won't fall out. I have spent a lot of time today just organizing the pieces of this product and looking for tiny boxes, etc. to store stuff in. My 7 year old daughter loves it all, but still needs my help with it. She has 4 doll "students" and has set up report cards for all of them, graded some tests (actually added up scores for correct answers), filled in the "Teacher's Attendance and Grade Book" with their attendance and their test scores, and then said that teachers' jobs are not as easy as she had thought. Good insight. I helped her average the 2 math test scores she had for each student so she could fill in the first grading period on their report cards, so was glad to introduce her to "averaging" and division. The alphabet banner is in cursive, so she is excited about starting to learn that, as she is only in first grade. She enjoys the multiplication flash cards, so I'm thinking of getting a whole deck that she can work with.

Suggestion--All the little pieces to this school set come on sheets of heavy weight paper and you punch out the pieces, like the flash cards, tiny library cards, tests, file folers, award certificates, etc. I highly recommend that BEFORE you punch out any of the pieces, you SCAN THE PAGES INTO YOUR COMPUTER SO YOU CAN PRINT OUT DUPLICATES AS NEEDED. The set is supposed to have enough school supplies for 4 dolls. In the book it often says if you have more than 4 "students" you will need to make photocopies of the items to have enough for each student.

Well, I don't know about the other reviewers, but my book only had one writing journal, even though the book specifically states, "If you have more than 4 students, photocopy the cover and pages." Another disparity between the book and the items in the kit is the school "locker" door. The book says it's a "sticker" but mine is just a piece of paper printed to look like a locker door. The idea is to stick the "locker door" picture onto a shoebox lid, tape the lid to the box on one side and make a locker out of the shoe box. I only had one "locker door" in my book, so I'd have to make photocopies of if I wanted lockers for all 4 of my daughter's students.

I'd like to see some online component to this book, where buying the book gives you a code to go online and find more things to do like this.

Overall, great idea. Brings me back to my own childhood playing school and making little items for my dolls. I too have had to set up a "doll school" in a corner. Once school starts back, I plan to make up little spelling tests for the dolls with my daughter's weekly spelling words from school. Same with math and other subjects.

Would love to hear more suggestions from other purchasers.

An 11-year-old's review, October 2, 2009
The Doll School set by American Girl grabbed my attention the second I saw it. It's filled with miniature items such as hall passes, lunch tickets, library cards, and even school pictures! Any girl can be an organized and prepared teacher when they purchase this item. I love it. I have a corner in the playroom where my dolls can learn what I learn from my teacher every day! This set is worth every penny you pay, and I gaurantee you that it will NOT be a disspointment!

-Marion O'Sullivan age 11

Many days worth of fun!, October 12, 2009
This kit has so many ideas and pieces that it is perfect for many days worth of fun. I recommend giving it to your little girl with a shoe box to store all the little pieces in, such as the mini doll class photos.

Cute!, April 2, 2010
I love this book because it encourages my daughter to actually play with her American Girl dolls rather than just using them as room deoorations.

priced right - nothing fancy, March 23, 2010
Good for an "extra" Christmas present or a birthday present for an American Girl doll fan, but don't expect too much. My daughter played with it for a week and then put it away not to come out again. Possibly she was too old at 11. I would recommend for the 7-10 year old who doesn't quite know what to do with her dolls

So Fun!, February 5, 2010
My 9 year old daughter loves playing school, loves American Girl, loves making things, and loves little "stuff". This was the perfect gift for her and she enjoyed it for hours.

Doll School: For Girls Who love to Teach, December 27, 2009
Santa brought this to my daughter for X-mas and it was her favorite present! She is in second grade and loves
to play school. Now she can play with her doll. The math is a bit hard for her but now she wants to learn
multiplication. It is very well done. Lots of little pieces so you need a box or bag to keep everything together.
Highly recommend.

A+++++ for children 7 and older, April 10, 2010
I was very impressed with this craft kit, and bought two, one for me and one for my grandaughter, who is seven. As the other reviewers have mentioned, it is gloriously detailed and just the thing for little girls who love to play school. There are definitely HOURS of activities. My grandaughter loves it too, but I believe she is at the minimal age for it. The reviewer who gave it only 3 stars acknowledges she gave this craft book to her children who are 4 and 6 years old and I think that is too young. The child who goes to school is going to be more enchanted with the miniature tests and all the little knick knacks. Being able to read is the absolute minimum requirement! Also, this craft requires manual dexterity to cut carefully. I fold it delightful to do WITH my grandaughter. Too much fun to just have one book...

Perfect!, January 10, 2010
My grandaughter is home schooled and loves her American girl dolls, so this was the prefect gift for her and she did love it.

Buy for you 6-9 yr old girl, July 15, 2010
I got this for my grand daughters who are 6 and 9 and they loved playing school with it. They used it alot and didn't get tired of it. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Illus. in full color. Encourages children to find out about themselves, while having fun writing and drawing their own biographies. ... Read more

Reviews

Gotta get a second one!, November 8, 2000
My older son got this book as a gift several years ago, and my youngest son was reading it this morning and wants one of his own. I'm so glad I found it! It's sort of like a baby book the kids can fill out for themselves. Some of the things the kids fill in are "my hair is ________" and I live in a (city, suburb, town, etc.) And it's all in the wonderful prose of Dr. Seuss. Then they can draw pictures on some pages and color already-drawn pictures on others. I've enjoyed looking back at some of the things my now-eleven-year-old said when he was five! I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to give their young children the opportunity to create a memory book for themselves for their growing up years. It's great!

Great interactive book & keepsake, November 13, 2006
What better way to involve your children in reading books than to have them fill out a book of short funny questions about themselves? I bought this for my niece when she was able to write her alphabet & check boxes. All her relatives had fun asking her questions & helping her fill it out. Her grandpa drove her around his small town to get signatures from a neighbor, a relative, a postman, a man over 6 feet tall, a man with a moustache, etc. I found out what her favorite friends, colors, foods & pets are. She answered how she acted when she got mad & how bad she felt afterwards (she added several exclamation points after checking that box). : ) She drew a picture of a bird & named it after her little sister.
It helps to give this book to a child when he or she will shortly be returning home because the book asks you to count windows, doors, forks, & faucets in the house. (It helps practice counting, too.) It's not really a rhyming book in the expected Dr. Seuss sense, but it has a nice mixture of questions, boxes to check, & pages to draw. As a hardbound book it makes a great keepsake. I'd unequivocally recommend it to anyone.

It is a family tradition, June 7, 2004
I found a copy of this book that was given and done by my hubby when he was a little boy. It is so cute to look back on. I loved it so much, I had to look it up for my 2 children. I found it and now my 9 year old son has one, my 7 year old daughter has one and I have ordered one for my little baby on the way. It is a family tradition with us. We love it and it is fun to run around the house and to talk with your child to fill out the pages of this memory book!!

WONDERFUL MEMORY BOOK, December 19, 2002
I recieved this book just after I learned to read (25 years ago)! I loved completing all the tasks (I still remember counting every fork in the house). Being allowed to write in a hardcover book was the greatest for a 6 year old! I look back on the book and know it will be a wonderful memory for me to share with my son about his mommy's childhood! And I'm sure he'll enjoy filling out his own copy too! I'd HIGHLY recommned this book for ANY and EVERY child! But make sure they keep it forever to share with thier children! It should never end up at a used book sale!

Awesome, Awesome, Awesome, December 8, 2004
I had this book as a little girl...and 30 years later, I still have it. I bought this for my son from the "toothfairy". He's 5 and can write basic ABC's, numbers and count. Very fun to fill out, keeps a high energy child very interested. This book provides many fun activites in order to be able to answer the questions in the book. His favorite part is fnding people to put their autographs in one particular section.

A must have for anyone with a child who can do some basic writing and counting.

GREAT book!, June 18, 2004
My six yr old just rec'd this book for her birthday. She is thrilled and eager to complete the book. We will treasure this book always. I'm going to purchase several myself to give as gifts.

Memory Lane, November 7, 2000
My six year old daughter found my copy of this book that I filled in in 1969. She loves reading about how tall Mommy was at her age, what my favorite color was at her age, and she can even see just how big my hands and feet were. This book has "bridged" an age gap for us and provided lots of giggles. Now she will have her own book to fill in and share with her child someday!

A FOREVER CHERISHED TREASURE, September 17, 1996
My daughter received this book as a gift for her 5th Birthday. One year later it is chocked full of information about her. Each page requires the child to write or draw things about their house, school, friends, family, clothes, food, toys, etc. I am surprised by the LOW cost of this treasure. It is a great activity book for any age child and once it's completed, it provides on-going entertainment. I wish I had this book when I was a child! It makes a great gift for any occasion!

This book is fun for kids and great for a keepsake!, August 25, 2006
My husband had this book as a child in the late 70's, and my sister found the same book in the store and bought it for my oldest son about 5 years ago. It has been so fun for my son to fill out the book. We still have Daddy's book to look at from when he was little, so that is fun! I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting their child to have an enjoyable and interactive activity. It also serves as a wonderful keepsake for later on. They have fun things in it, such as "How many steps is it to the mailbox?" and "How many windows are in your house", as well as questions about what you want to do when you grow up and your interests. Love this book!

The best book my parents ever bought me!, January 11, 2005
I am so happy that this book is still being printed! I still like to flip through mine and see what I wrote as my favorite song was when I was 6, how many freckles I had, etc... I urge any parent to buy this book for their children-- It creates the greatest memories and it is also fun for the kids. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Daring Book for Girls is the manual for everything that girls need to know—and that doesn't mean sewing buttonholes! Whether it's female heroes in history, secret note-passing skills, science projects, friendship bracelets, double dutch, cats cradle, the perfect cartwheel or the eternal mystery of what boys are thinking, this book has it all. But it's not just a guide to giggling at sleepovers—although that's included, of course! Whether readers consider themselves tomboys, girly-girls, or a little bit of both, this book is every girl's invitation to adventure.

Reviews

A wonderful book for young girls (or boys) - you'll love it as much as your kid!, November 9, 2007
This is the perfect book to share with your daughter/ granddaughter/that special girl you know who is a tween or young teen. It has just the right mix of articles - informative, fun, and stimulating! When the "Dangerous Book for Boys" came out I wished for a version for girls and this book is as good as the one for boys if not better.

When you first flip through its pages it will remind you of the time you were her age. You probably read a book almost like this but not quite. I say not quite as this book does a perfect balancing act between skills and general knowledge, between techniques we learned from our grandmothers and the ones that became popular later. It tells you "how to press flowers" but also "five karate moves". "Make your own quill pen" is preceded by "how to change a tire". I remember reading a book almost like this in my childhood. I dearly treasured that book till its pages were yellow and stiff into my college days. I spent many afternoons after school experimenting with the projects. I remember the bitter candy apples I made from a recipe in that book, or the quill pen with which I wrote my "secret language" notes for my friends and this book brought back those memories. With more words than illustrations, the Daring book for Girls will encourage the girl who reads it to use her imagination.

This book will appeal to the "girly-girl" in every girl with the sections like "Palm reading", "Hopscotch", "Princesses today" or "Boys"; to her sense of adventure with articles like "Going to Africa" (short section on each country), "Hiking", "Reading tide charts"; and to the "builder" in her with sections like "Building a campfire", "Tree swings", "Every girl's toolbox". There is a ton of useful information and facts in this book too for those rainy or quiet days - "from French terms of endearment" to "Queens of Ancient world" to "Women Inventors". Sports are covered too - basketball, softball, netball, bowling, playing cards and more.

My daughter was thrilled to get this book. I wasn't sure she'd like it as much as I liked my childhood book. But she began her next project "how to tie a sari" in minutes and over dinner started telling me about the women inventors in the book. We have now designated this book the "mother-daughter time" book. Each weekend, we pick up the book and try something new! What a great antidote to the "Mom, I'm bored" refrain!

Some are activities she can attempt on her own and for others like building the ultimate scooter she will need help as it requires some sawing and drilling. It is a challenge for me too as I've not really attempted to build anything from scratch before. I'm ready with my saw and drill and as excited as her to begin that project!

This book gives just the right kind of stimulation for a younger girl's (or boy's) curious mind and their thirst for new knowledge and skills. This book will also grow with the reader as it gives practical advice and even contains chapters like "Stocks and shares" and "Negotiating salaries." This book is therefore highly recommended and will make a great gift for a 7-14 year old.

Sparking Imagination, November 12, 2007
There are certain things that every girl should learn in her young life, like how to press flowers, what games to play at a slumber party, and how to put her hair up with a pencil. You know, girly things. But they also need to know things like salary negotiation, self defense with karate, and how to change a tire.

She'll get that and more in The Daring Book For Girls, by authors Andrea Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz. This wonderful collection of projects, primers, and practical advice is so compelling and fun to read that I found myself browsing through it for hours after my daughter went to bed.

The letters of Abigail Adams, the history of women in the Olympics, making a lemon-powered clock... The book is packed with stimulating knowledge and activities. It's sure to stir my daughter's imagination for years to come. The authors have wisely designed the book to appeal to a wide range of ages, from 8 to 18. I'm well beyond those years, and NOT a girl, and even I'm envious of the new worlds of information that will be introduced to my daughter through these pages.

If you're the parent, or grandparent, of a girl, think twice before you spend your holiday money on some new toy or electronic gadget. The Daring Book For Girls will be the gift that gets the most attention this year.

If you have a daughter, buy this book!, November 8, 2007
I don't know what I like better -- The Daring Book for Girls or the fact that it's written by two women I greatly admire, Andrea Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz.

Written as a sequel, of sorts, to last year's The Dangerous Book for Boys, The Daring Book for Girls is a compendium of activities and information to help today's girls rediscover that there are ways to have fun besides shopping at the mall, watching Hannah Montana or IM'ing their friends.

As the mother of a seven-year-old daughter, I was thrilled when I learned that the founders of MotherTalk would be writing this book and couldn't wait to see what it would have in store.

When it arrived, my daughter and I were both very excited because it's just got so much STUFF! Where to begin? There was so much to take in after I was done ooh-ing and aah-ing over the beautiful teal cover with the sparkly silver letters (yes, that did appeal to the "girl" in me!)

How to make a lemon-powered clock (really!)? Reading the chapters on women who were pirates and spies? How to make a tree swing or check out the list of books "that will change your life?"

Aimed at the "tween" girl market, it is perfect for that age group, billing itself as the book "for every girl with an independent spirit and a nose for trouble."

If you're the parent of a daughter who could use a little nudging to take off the headphones and get a little fresh air, then this book is just what the doctor (or Santa) ordered. There are so many great craft ideas and topics to spark the imagination of a girl it's hard to know where to start.

Since the book's release, some commenters have questioned whether this type of book can really have an impact on the way our daughters are socialized today -- can we really hope that a book that is an homage to our childhoods in the 1970s will be the tonic that will drag our girls out from behind the laptops and forsake the sassy outfits?

Can it really get our girls away from the world of Libby Lu parties, Bratz Dolls, and questionable Halloween outfits?

Is it too much to take the feminist optimism we had as girls of the MS. generation and help our daughters discover that they can do "boy" things, too? I think it's imperative. At seven, my daughter is already succumbing to the phenomenon of boys having too much sway on her budding self-esteem. If a few of the activities in this book can help boost her already waning self-confidence, then I'm going to go for it.

Perhaps it is too much to expect that one book can start a new feminist wave for our daughters of the 21st Century. But if we don't start somewhere, who will?

As a parent, I can't be responsible for reclaiming the girlhoods of all the "tweens" in America by making them turn off the Disney Channel and sit down to make a quill pen or learn about Queens of the Ancient World. But I can start with one excited second-grader and I'm planning on doing just that.

What I can do is take one second-grade girl, who is chomping at the bit to dig into the activities in The Daring Book for Girls, and help her discover things she never thought she could do. And I can make sure other moms know about it, too.

fantastic book for all kinds of kids, November 13, 2007
I am a fifth grade school teacher, so I see a lot of books meant for kids who are growing up. many of these books, especially the books geared for girls tend to be very dramatic, social survival guides that delve into the social ins and outs of growing up at younger and younger ages.

This book rises above all of that in the same way that the Dangerous book for boys (also a staple in my classroom) did. It tells kids that it is OK to be kids, it is OK to have a lot of interests, from sports to science to history to literature, to enjoy life by doing.

when I discovered this book on amazon I looked at the table of contents and was delighted at what I saw; the rules of basketball, how to tie a sari, campfire songs and many more topics. I called the girls in my class over, some who are jocks, some who are girly-girls, some who are science minded, and our social butterflies. accross the board each and every girl found something to love about this book, to the extent that there was a fight over it when it arrived in our classroom.

I am convinced that if there were more books like these telling kids to be kids and live life rather than play video games or watch TV all day, the world would be a better place.

The Daring Book for Girls, January 2, 2008
I picked up this book in the store and realized it is representative of what I learned as a girl scout brownie (friendship songs, how to make bracelets, etc.). Maybe this is what girls wanted to know in the fifties, but it seems terribly silly for girls of this era. The boy version, amusing and easy to read, included intelligent and interesting information: how things work, mechanics, astronomy, herbology, entomology, how to make a treehouse, etc. I bought the boy book instead.

My recommendation: Scratch out "Boy" on the title, write "Girl" instead, and give the "Dangerous Book for Boys" to your little girl - she will get much more out it, actually learn something meaningful/useful, and enjoy herself in the process.

I know I did.

A Wonderful Book, November 5, 2007
This is not a girly book. It's not sexist or anti-male. It's a book full of fun, wonderful, clean adventures and lots of useful information for girls of all ages. And don't girls need all the help they can get? I sure wish this had been around when I was a girl.

The book begins with all the essential gear girls just have to have. Included are a swiss army knife described as a key tool for survival, a bandana to keep your head cool, rope and twine to help learn about knots, a journal (that's a big one), a hair band for girls with long hair-- duct tape, to fix almost everything, and patience--which is described in the book as a quality and not a thing.

The book tells girls to not try and be perfect. (Good for all of us.) In the face of frustration, your best tools are a few deep breaths, and remembering that you can do anything once you've practiced it two hundred times. Isn't that wonderful advice? Girls especially are sort of perfectionists. As girls, we tend to think we have to be better and never make a mistake. This books helps girls to discover they don't need to be perfect BUT that if they keep trying, they'll be great!

Highly recommended.

Highest Compliments Department, October 28, 2007
One of the highest compliments the author of a book for younger readers can get is from a parent who says, "I wish there had been a book like this when I was a kid."

My guess is that authors Buchanan and Peskowitz will hear this a fair amount from older readers who fall prey to their daughters' nightstands. Despite its sidekick status as the companion volume for the extraordinarily successful The Dangerous Book for Boys, The Daring Book for Girls more than holds its own. Like the boys' volume, this one has a great, retro design, and handsome interior layout.

But content is where the Daring Book really shines. It has terrific pacing, as the chapters alternate between activities and interesting information about history and culture. The underlying emphasis is on being active and (dare I write it?) daring. There's a can-do tone that informs Daring Book that I found really admirable... and my guess is that boys who voyage beyond its front cover will as well. Terrific work! See also The Big Book of Girl Stuff, the best book for this readership that I've ever written. :)

"Daring Girls" Lives Up To It's Title., December 1, 2007
This book celebrates the fact that you can change a tire,be good at math,play softball & still be a girl,which I think is great.So I bought it out of both curosity & admiration,(although I figured there'd be one eventually)that there is now a female equivalant of "Dangerous Book For Boys" Also,the hand-clapping songs,daisy chains & the infamous "Bloody Mary" legend brought back many fond memories for me. I just wish the book had more art projects,but perhaps in the the next book(?),they're will be. Also,the book has a slightly slapdash feel to it,one topic follows another without rhyme or reason. For example: how to make a book cover follows an article on Cleopatra,follows an article about how to deal with boys(which btw,is both sensible & age-appropriate).I feel the book should have catergories,but that's an adult P.O.V., not one of a tween girl(whom this book is definately aimed at) Also,I spotted a few typos,though my spelling isn't the greatest at times (as you can see here) OK, but I'm nit-picking. The over-all spirit of the book wins you over & definately would make a cool gift for a "daring" girl(or mother/aunt/ big sister of one:-)!

Equal to or better than the Boys' book...., November 3, 2007
... depending on whether you prefer hunting and tanning (boys) or jump-rope and karate (girls). Much of the content in the Daring Book for Girls is very like the content in the Dangerous Book for Boys, with slight variations which are nice if you happen to have both. If you are a parent wondering whether to buy this for your daughter or go with the boys' book because you think it might be better, rest assured, this one is every bit as fun, adventuresome and fascinating as the boys' book. I have a young daughter and bought the boys' book before I knew there would be a girls' one; now I have them both and side-by-side I can say this one at the very least lives up to its predecessor, and in my opinion surpasses it, although both are excellent.

There are things in this book I'd completely forgotten that I did as a girl. Remember four-square? Elastics? Daisy-chains? Friendship bracelets and hand-clap games? And there are some fascinating tidbits in here, too; did you know Julia Child was a spy before she became a famous TV chef? Who would have thought it? There's a neat section on "Vedic math" tricks, which are something I've always thought amazingly cool and useful. And another neat thing is the international flavor of the book; living in the U.S. but having grown up in New Zealand, it's a real treat to see netball included here among the ball/court games, right between basketball and korfball!!

Really, moms and dads, do your girls a favor and buy this book, it's worth every penny (for the nostalgia factor alone, hehe).

A wonderful treasury of fun knowledge and women's history., November 16, 2007
I have a daughter who considers herself to be at least two things: an intellectual and a tomboy. This book satisfied both!

Fun, useful 'how to' information such as how to build a lemon clock, how to play tetherball and how to press flowers, written in a concise, very readable way. Information about women in history is also in the book, along with the periodic table of elements and information on how to build the perfect scooter.

I think this book would appeal to anyone; boy, girl, man, woman...of any age, who just likes to learn and do new things. It's a book you can read cover to cover as an adult and both become a bit nostalgic and enlightened at the same time.

Wonderful! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

12 months later... and he's still reading it, November 16, 2009
I bought this book for my son during Christmas of 2008. He had checked out a couple similar books from the library, and seemed to generally enjoy them. In my opinion this book, although shorter than the others, is probably the best. The facts and activities inside are interesting, the layout is clean and easy to read, and the text is targeted to its audience (young adolescent boys - perhaps ages 7 and up). Even almost a fully year later, I still see my son reading the book in bed sometimes before going to sleep. It was probably the most lasting of any of the Christmas gifts I got him last year. And in my personal opinion, anything that will get young boys excited about reading are worthwhile.

Please be kind enough to indicate if reviews are helpful.

Almost-10-yr-old LOVES this book!, May 9, 2008
My nearly 10-yr-old son begged me to buy this book for him, and he has been transfixed ever since it arrived! He brings it in the car with him to read! He is in the advanced reading section in school, but I think this book would appeal to a wide age range. I wish I'd thought to keep it to give him during our summer vacation, but the way it's going, he'll be completely through it by then! And to parents -- the content isn't really "bad" -- it's just the right kind of intriguing to keep a young boy's attention -- i.e., breaking codes, spy secrets, obscure trivia, etc.

Hands-down the best of the "boy" books!, February 5, 2008
How to make fake blood, how to make a bow and arrow (gulp), and clever card tricks are a few of the things my 8-year-old son has brought up at the dinner table since receiving this as a holiday gift. Some of his friends got it too, and it's fun to overhear them discussing it. In addition to the fun stuff, there's good, meaty info, like US presidents and state capitals, etc. There are a ton of "boy" books out there, but this one has the best content for kids. And the very cool design will appeal to boys of all ages. Highly recommended.

Great book for boys!, April 5, 2009
For Boys Only: The Biggest, Baddest Book Ever
My 8 year old loves to read this book because it states it is for boys only and it actually contains cool stuff that interests him like how to fight a shark, video games, buried treasure and monsters. Perfect for a boy! I bought this to try to find something to capture his interest so he would enjoy reading and it worked!

My son loves the book, January 6, 2008
I bought this book as a Christmas gift for my 9 year old son. It's funny how he's taken right to it. He'll be looking thru the book like he's scheming to find something to pull on his sisters! I think he's enjoying the book more than I expected.

So much fun I stole it for myself, April 17, 2009
My son and I were fighting over this book as we each endeavored to crack the code hidden on the pages. In addition to all the fun information contained within the covers, there is a puzzle to be solved. Not just a little, spend five minutes on it puzzle, but a long, you must solve this part to get to the next part puzzle - thoroughly entertaining. We had to look up looking up Morse Code and ASCII to solve it which made it fun and educational. It is a truly enjoyable little book.

Awesome Fun, December 28, 2008
I purchased this book for my 9 year old son, who is a reluctant reader. He is now asking me if he can go to his room and read. I am only slightly scared of the ideas the book is putting into his head, but he's got a huge smile on his face, and wants to read, so what more can the parent of a pre-teen boy ask for?!?!

great for ADHD attention spans, July 21, 2008
My son doesn't stay focused on reading for long periods. He likes this one very much. It can be enjoyed in short readings and in any order you choose. If you remember Boy Scout Manuals and how much fun they made learning, buy this for your son, he'll like it.

Great Book!!!, June 25, 2008
I gave this to my son for his 12th birthday and he loves it. He read it in a matter of days but I still see him re-reading it all the time. I think even a child who dislikes reading would enjoy this very much.

AWESOME BOOK FOR BOYS!, December 12, 2007
This is THE book for every boy! Safe enough for the family crowd, with just enough edge for the boy in everyone. We need more books from these guys. They understand us . . . and the boys inside. AWESOME BOOK FOR BOYS! (P.S. Can you guys write one for our daughters???) ... Read more

Editorial Review

Kids love stuff that's gross. From the liquids, solids, andgases--especially the gases!--or their own bodies to the creepy,crawly, slimy, slithery, fetid, and feculent phenomena in the world atlarge, kids with a curious bent just can't get enough. Oh, Yuck! TheEncyclopedia of Everything Nasty brings together, in one book, all thegood things about some of the baddest things on Earth.

Exhaustively researched and impeccably scientific, yet written witha lively lack of earnestness, Oh, Yuck! is an ants to zitsencyclopedic compendium covering people, animals, insects, plants,foods, and more. Here are vampire bats, which sip blood and pee at thesame time so that they'll always be light enough to fly away; andslime eels, wreathed in mucus and eating fellow fish from the insideout. Oh, Yuck! explains why vomit smells; where dandruff comes from;what pus is all about; and why maggots adore rotting meat. Otherfeatures include gross recipes, putrid projects, 10 foods that makeyou airborne, and more.

With hundreds of cartoon illustrations and real-life photographs,Oh, Yuck! is the complete guide to the irresistible--at least to an8-to-12 year old--underbelly of life. ... Read more

Reviews

I'm a grownup and I loved it!, December 4, 2001
I bought this for my kid, no I didn't, she's only 3, I b ought it for me and she can have it when she gets older. And I'm buying it for two of my friend's kids. I've always been fascinated with gross stuff like snot, pus, poop, gross foods, etc., and so are most kids. And by the way, my kid, and the two kids I'm buying this for, are girls. The facts are there, it's fun to read, and it might even get the kids to read more and practice good hygiene while they're at it (microscopic photos of worms and such may answer a few questions like "why do I have to wash my hands all the time?" Excellent.

Laugh Out Loud Funny!!, December 17, 2002
I purchased this book for my 12 year old son for Christmas. I have yet to wrap it because I am so interested in reading it! This is definitely a pretty disgusting book from a mom's point of view but I know my son will absolutely love it! Some of the illustrations are so gross they made me laugh out loud. There is a lot of scientific information hidden in this humorous encyclopedia. I have learned a lot already and I am only up to C. This book is a "must have" for any pre-teen or teenager, especially boys who are fascinated by disgusting things. I can't wait for another book by this author! Maybe social studies could be this humorous as well.

Interesting Facts About Some Yucky Stuff, September 2, 2001
I bought this book to try to stop my preschooler from using "potty-language" every time he speaks - I thought if I explained, in technical detail, that bodily functions and other stuff is just a natural occurance, maybe he would cut his bathroom humor down. Wrong. While the book is entertaining and has a lot of facts that I wasn't aware of, it makes light of all things gross. So we laughed as I read it (there is quite of bit of humor in it) and I realized that almost everyone (especially young boys!) are just fascinated with stuff that drives us Moms crazy! Would make a great gift book for a "tween" ager!

Disgusting things for the whole family to enjoy!, July 8, 2005
If you are reading this page, you already know that you want this book. It follows through on its promise to talk about disgusting things. It's even moderately educational in parts, so that your kids can learn why we have snot (among other things). Unlike, say, the Captain Underpants series, this is grossness that the entire family can enjoy.

It makes the perfect gift from a grown-up because the child's eyes will light up when s/he realizes that you are cool enough to give a kid a book about gross stuff. Plus, the kid on the cover is picking his nose. What else do you need?

Iman's Review, May 18, 2004
This is such a great book. It has information on all "gross" topics. In it, there is everything from maggots to vomit. I think this book would be great for all 7-12 year olds. I especially like the "information boxes". The book has good illustrations also. Most of them are comical, but a few are scientific. Joy Masoff is a good writer that specializes in history books. Also, this would be a great find for a teacher or science teacher because all the things in this book is true science! There is nothing inapropriate in this book. The thing that I like about this book is that it is funny, yet educational at the same times. That is very difficult to find in a book now. The thing that I disliked most in this book is NOTHING! The bottom line is, THIS IS A MUST READ!

A true classic, September 23, 2004
I have been reading bits and pieces of this book out loud at bedtime to my 9yo daughter for months. She got it for a present at Christmas last year (from her Aunt who was an elementary school teacher and expert on children's literature) and didn't pick it up right away. But once she started reading it, it has been an ongoing touchstone.

Some of it is quite gross and I must admit it turns my stomach at times, but it has a a lot of straight forward explanations of how our bodies work and how other things in the world that people her age (and older) are fascinated with.

Now as to why it is a bedtime favorite - that I don't really understand or spend much time thinking about. Except for the fact that despite the quality of this book I am simply going to have to find something new to read soon.

GROSS WITH A SENSE OF HUMOR, December 17, 2004
This is one of those things that you cringe as you read and feel your insides squirming...but it's just so funny and fun to read. The facts and irreverent tone of the book making learning about pus, snot, puke, and other bodily secretions a hoot to read about. Never though I would get a laugh out of reading about zits and dandruff before!

It's all good fun and meant to be that way. There's a lot of interesting recipes and experiments you can make...I'd avoid them though, reading the book is gross-out enough without taking a hands-on approach.

It's nasty and the kids love it, March 23, 2006
I bought this for my classroom bookshelf. I teach 7th grade science and my kids fight with each other to read it!

Gross!, August 6, 2001
If you want a child (especially a boy) to read Oh Yuck! fills the bill. They can't resist the yucky tidbits. My teacher friends tell me that anything that a kid reads is worth it's weight. Intrestingly, this book is full of scientific facts worth learning. So you have a youngster reading, learning and having a great time doing it. That's hard to beat.

Very entertaining, May 6, 2005
Can't seem to get enough gross stuff? Then this book is for you. This is like reading the Guiness Book of World Records but only reading the disgusting parts. Very entertaining and chock full of facts you never knew and not sure you really wanted to know. My kids think it is a hoot and we love scrunching up our noses at every page turn. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The information age is upon us, baffling us with thousands of complicated state-of-the-art technologies. To help make sense of the computer age, David Macaulay brings us The New Way Things Work. This completely updated and expanded edition describes twelve new machines and includes more than seventy new pages detailing the latest innovations. With an entirely new section that guides us through the complicated world of digital machinery, where masses of electronic information can be squeezed onto a single tiny microchip, this revised edition embraces all of the newest developments, from cars to watches. Each scientific principle is brilliantly explained--with the help of a charming, if rather slow-witted, woolly mammoth. ... Read more

Reviews

BUY THIS BOOK!, July 8, 2002
My god, this has to be one of my favorite books. When I was a kid, I was FASCINATED (well, I still am) by mechanical things. I must have checked this book out of the library twenty times, and it never got old. It is PACKED with info, the drawings are great, and it is very educational. Well, I was at the library today checking out books for a mechanical engineering class, and there it was on the shelf. I checked it out again for old times sake, and here I am at Amazon.com (to buy my very own copy of course), writing a reveiew. Nuff said. Anyway, if you have a child, boy or girl, old or young, smart or not, it doesn't matter- this book ROCKS!

But this book, November 27, 1999
My nephew, who is six, thanks me everytime he sees me or talks to me on the phone for sending this book. This is a great book for curious children to "grow into" with their parents. It also helps parents look very smart to their children if they read it first!

This book really tells you how things work!, December 11, 1999
Do you think you know how a lot of things work? Yes? Well, you are probably wrong. I am a Physics Major in college and I thought I knew how a lot of things work. However, when I found this book in my physics professor's office, I fell in love with this book. I ordered for my copy on the same day. This book is good for the kids, but some of the stuff is hard to understand because there are some words like forces or angles. These are hard to understand for kids, but the pictures in this book are good for the curious kids. They may understand some of the stuff. But, I would rate this book for grownups. You will learn how locks work, how airplanes fly, how helicopters can go forward or backward. You will understand the mechanics just by looking at the pictures, but the reading the explanations also helps you understand. This is a nice book to keep at the corner of your bookshelf.

A Work of Art, November 10, 2005
"The Way Things Work" took almost three years to create. A cute and sometimes silly "Great Wooly Mammoth" makes his appearance throughout the book. The facial expressions and animal antics are at times very amusing.

While the "Mammoth" theme is highlighted, this is a book which discusses serious concepts. They are simply explained in a more entertaining way. In between all the facts, you will suddenly find a page which discusses tusk trimming. "I watched with great curiosity a mammoth that was having its tusks trimmed....." Don't worry, as the story progresses, "velocity" is being explained.

Quite frankly, this book is not only a work of art, it is a compilation of genius. When David Macaulay, Niel Ardley, David Burnie, Peter Luff and Christopher Davis put their minds together for a book project, something amazing happens.

Where they came up with the 384 pages is beyond my comprehension. In fact, only taking three years to write and illustrate such a work, is in itself an incredible feat. Truly, this is a comprehensive, instructive and entertaining reference book for readers of all ages.

Life is too short for reading inferior books. - James Bryce This book is superior in so many ways. It is divided into four main sections: The Mechanics of Movement (inclined plane, levers, wheel and axle, gears and belts, cams and cranks, pulleys, screws, rotating wheels, springs, friction), Harnessing The Elements (floating, flying, pressure power, exploiting heat, nuclear power), Working With Waves (light and images, photography, printing, sound and music, telecommunications), Electricity & Automation (electricity, magnetism, sensors and detectors, computers).

Each page is filled with drawings so you can completely comprehend mechanical principles. David Macaulay takes you from levers to lasers and does it all in a most entertaining and efficient manner. Here is a prize-winning author's brilliantly conceived guide to the principles and workings of hundreds of machines.

~The Rebecca Review

A forward outpost on the frontier of learning, May 12, 2000
I bought this CD in the hope that it could help me teach my children science in general and physics in particular. I have a moderate understanding of how things work, but I am woefully undereducated in the scientific principles that underlie those workings. The New Way Things Work gives both: nuts-and-bolts explanations of things and succinct discussion of the underlying principles--and abundant links to go between the two.

There are timelines of machines and their inventions, as well as their inventors. Each machine has a page with a clear picture with the working parts labeled, and sometimes a short animation to further clarify the machine's action. There is a testing feature which is useful, if a bit humbling. The "Research Answer" button posted tantalizingly right at the bottom of each test question is a spur to further research, though I worry about the ethical implications. Does that mammoth think I'm cheating? Does that guy with the mustache and mannerisms of Martin Mull keep track of how many times I "research" an answer, and does that go on my permanent record? Perhaps there should be an on/off toggle.

The links on each machine page to the principles and inventors and vice versa may be where the CD has an advantage over a book, particularly for children. When I'm explaining something to my daughter and she doesn't understand part of the explanation, she wants that missing piece Right Now, and the hot links provide that immediacy. Paging to another part of a book and then loosing her original place frustrates her. That never happens with this CD, because she knows she can always hit the BACK button. It would be even better if there were a FORWARD button like on a browser, because children quickly understand this navigational technique and use it frequently. I notice they pick up and leave off and go back and forth and generally become more involved than with a book.

I was disappointed that the Tele-Prompter was not one of the machines featured. Like others in the television audience in the 1980s, I gaped in wonder as politicians gave huge speeches to live audiences without glancing at their notes. I assumed the glass plates to the right and left of the speaker were security devices to block bullets and flying tomatoes. Also, it would be nice to know how a polygraph works, and whether the polygraph could be combined with a Tele-Prompter to make a more complete machine--what surveyors call a "total station".

The timelines are also quite valuable. You feel better about your own limited understanding of practical things by contemplating such facts as the toilet tank being invented by a contemporary of Shakespeare. And frankly, I think that article could do with a little expansion: where did the flow of water go after it traveled from the newly invented tank of Elizabeth the First's godson? The street outside his window? The River Thames? I know that through my childhood and right up until the time I bought a house I believed that wastes were carried away in pipes in a method involving electricity.

Ever since capsizing a sunfish in 1977, I've wondered how sailboats can be propelled by wind blowing from behind them, and by wind blowing directly into your face as you stand on the deck and gaze at your destination. New Way Things Work provides the answer. Another device it would be interesting to know about is carbon dating and the newer, more accurate (I'm told) argon-argon dating. I want to know the age of the rocks in my back yard. And why haven't we Americans been provided with small, affordable, personal flying devices yet? These and other questions naturally come up; like all good educational tools, this CD raises as many questions as it answers.

The New Way Things Work, August 29, 2002
This is the best book for childern and adults I have ever read. I recieved "The Way Things Work" When I was in 4th grade. Now I have this newer version. My classmates and I both used it during my College Mechanical Engineering Classes. Everyone can learn from this book it is not just for kids but really belongs on every childs bookshelf.

A+, October 28, 1998
My nine-year old son is hooked on this book. He reads it in the morning, after school, at the dinner table, and instead of doing his homework!

An Absolute Need for Every Household, July 10, 2004
Few books can compare to "The Way Things Work" in the amount which they can teach the curious. Be they old or young, college educated engineers or preschoolers, everyone can pick something out of this book. Trust me; I've seen it from all ends.

When I was six, I loved the mammoths...and learned about simple machines and airplane wings. When I was in high school, I appreciated the mammoths' wit...and learned about automatic transmissions and transistors. Now that I'm in college, I've read the whole thing, and it's still a great reference book, just as entertaining and informative as it was so many years ago. And the mammoths are still funny.

For kids with insatiable curiosity, "The Way Things Work" can be a great and entertaining resource; for everyone who's ever wondered how their car drives, or why their computer works, or how satellite communications happen, it can be an immensely satisfying read.

Good book, but not for the very young, January 30, 2003
I bought this book for a boy of the age of 8. He didn't seem very interested in the text explanations of how things work. Perhaps he's a little young, but like other reviewers said, this is a book that can most definately be put on the shelf for several years and still have relevance when a few years of knowledge is gained.

This answered many of my child's questions, December 9, 2001
If you have a child with 10,000,000 questions on how things work, buy this book! This explains it better than any book I have found on the subject. It has even enlightened me. For more, buy the book titled HOW DO THEY DO THAT? by Caroline Sutton. This author has a series of books. ... Read more

Editorial Review

At last, all those weird but true facts that readers of National Geographic Kids love so much are collected into a fun-filled book that you’ll come back to again and again!

Weird But True is based on the hugely popular magazine page of quirky, fun facts that many readers of National Geographic Kids magazine turn to first. Why? Well did you know that... Peanut butter can be converted into a diamond? The world’s oldest pet goldfish lived to be 43 years old? The world’s longest soap bubble was as long as four school buses? On Neptune, the wind blows up to 1,243 miles an hour? An elephant’s tooth can weigh as much as a bowling ball?

All of the facts in this handy book will amaze friends and family: Animals Superpowers...Chills and Thrills...Eat or Be Eaten...Mini and Mega...Wild and Crazy, and much, much more. Adjacent pages for such facts present a one-paragraph explanation of how that fact is possible or why it is so.

Wacky facts, fascinating information, and lively art combine in this easy-to-browse, casual reference book that is sure to give young readers hours of fun. ... Read more

Reviews

Terrific Book!, May 19, 2010
My son chose this book himself at his school book fair. For the last few days, this book has been his constant companion -- and I understand why. The weird but true facts in the book are funnny, interesting, thought provoking, and presented in a dynamic manner with excellent illustrations. My son likes the book very very much, has memorized several of 300 weird but true facts. In fact, we have agreed to give the book away as a gift to several other children.

Gross but fascinating, July 4, 2010
This is not a book with a plot or anything -- just a list of random weird facts. But my 9 year old finds it FANTASTIC and has read it several times including many of them he insists on reading out loud to us! :)

9 year old son loved it, April 21, 2010
My son kept us entertained all day Easter Sunday with this gift. We had to take it away during Easter dinner so we could talk about something else!

Great book, October 10, 2010
My 7 year old daughter loves this book. I have a hard time getting her to read for pleasure, but this book does the trick. As other reviewers stated, it is made up of random interesting facts. There are colorful photos and the facts are written like little blurbs. She carries this book around to share with friends and family.

Terrible Book, November 24, 2010
This book contains a bunch of one liners without supporting detail. Its like reading a list of trashy book titles with zero content. It will not increase the readers knowledge base. I got it for my eight years old who love reading National Geographic Kids. She found it lacking. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Dare to explore! The National Geographic Kids Almanac 2011 brings young readers the very latest updates on living on, and caring for, planet Earth. The Almanac’s cool photos, lively illustrations and easy-to-read format encourages readers to absorb countless incredible facts and spend hours browsing hot topics, such as fun ways to convince your family to go green.

In true National Geographic Kids magazine style, this is a book to excite kids about their planet: its fun-filled pages are packed with everything from how to decode your dreams to the excitement of underwater pumpkin carving to the fascinating powers of the human brain. Geography, history, science, and adventure—it’s all here to explore in one single volume. This is the reference book that gives young minds MORE...

More than 15 homework-helper sections More than 50 puzzles, projects, and really cool experiments More than 500 pictures of our planet and all that’s on it More than 5,000 fun and amazing facts

The opening section introduces timely information for 2011and unique National Geographic content. The rest of the Almanac is filled with fun facts and helpful references on subjects from countries worldwide to Presidents stateside, from the wisdom of convention to cool new inventions. ... Read more

Reviews

Great for reluctant readers and boys!, November 2, 2010
I am kind of afraid to put this book in my classroom library because it is the kind that always gets stolen and/or has pages torn out of it. My students love reading about cool, updated facts, and I know that I will have to watch this book like a hawk or it will be gone. Although the average kid wouldn't say he or she loves history or science, they really do! They don't like listening to lectures or taking notes, but they love reading about how science is applied in the real world and seeing some weird, interesting tidbit about something historical.

This almanac has a wealth of learning available in glorious, color-filled bites. There is even a section about going green which I (of course) loved because it had a section on letter-writing that is photo-copy worthy for when I teach that later on in the year. There are traditional facts that all teachers want to instill in their students, but there are so many current items that this will be a fresh hit.

What I love most about this book are the short, factual passages. They are a huge motivator for any reluctant reader due to the interesting photos, and they particularly tend to interest boys. I am always looking for something to engage those guys, so I was ecstatic to find this one.

My son loves these, August 28, 2010
These are the best! My 8 year old son loves the almanacs! There are so many times that we are going somewhere and he starts telling me some random fact and I ask where he gets it and it's always "my almanacs!"

Very Interesting - Holds A kid's attention, October 1, 2010
We took the kids on a two-week long road trip across the country. My eldest daughter brought this almanac along to keep her mind occupied. We did not make it through the first day of the trip without having to stop at a bookstore to purchase a second copy for our younger son. Both of them took turns reading aloud and sharing different facts. It made for a very special trip. We are not familiar with the author Curtis Malarkey, but if we knew of other book he has written we would be certain to get copies ... multiple copies.

My son loves it!, September 7, 2010
Bought this book for my 9 year old son when we had a 12 hour car ride ahead of us. It kept him occupied and he found it very interesting. He kept sharing facts and pictures with his little brother and I. ... Read more

Editorial Review

When we published The Encyclopedia of Immaturity in 2007, we knew it would make a great gift for someone’s nephew. And, sure enough, people gave it to their nephews — but also to their grandparents, brothers-in-law and accountants. Soon we were flooded with letters, e-mails and calls sharing one common theme — ""More! More! More!""So here’s a second helping of skills, activities, and secret knowledge — suitable only for those whose maturity stopped developing around the age of 12. In addition to thought-provoking topics like What We Talk About When We Talk About Wedgies, the book includes detailed directions for how to: fake a cold, slide down a banister, balance a ping pong ball on your nose, send a toiletgram, throw a sloshie, and more. It’s all new and all hopelessly goofy. You can imagine our delight as we looked over the sales figures for the first volume of this encyclopedia. For years we’ve felt like the only kids at the grown-up table. Now it turns out the world is populated by a lot more people who are lot less mature than they look. Well, duh! ... Read more

Reviews

Best Yet! Approved by Kids and Adults Alike!, August 10, 2009
I originally purchased the Encyclopedia of Immaturity V1 for my nephew but it was such a hit with both adults and kids that it ended up making the rounds instead. When Volume 2 came up for sale I knew I had to get it but wasn't sure if it would "make the cut". So often it seems the first volume is the best and the rest is just added on to ride on the fame of the original. No so with this one!

First, the thin page problem mentioned by many reviewers in the first volume is fixed in this one. Pages are substantially thicker - although that leads to fewer total tips. However the quality of the tips is as good - if not better - than the original. Same silly jokes, fun but young "tricks" and an abundance of totally meaningless activiites sure to delight everyone.

Cover is the same material as the first, very nice and thick. Pages are thicker with glossy sheen made to last longer and wording is in keeping with all the Klutz products (of which we have purchased several including the airplanes, art-rageous projects, museum in a book, Do Not Open this Book, Maze, Bubbles and many others! Each and every one is a huge hit with everyone!).

My younger brother (nearly 40) loved this as did our nephew, 11 year old neighbor and everyone in between. Fun stuff! Perfect gift for younger siblings of any age or kids over for a visit.

woo hoo!!!!, February 14, 2008
Kiwi Magazine Review:
The first Encyclopedia of Immaturity was stellar, we're not sure how Klutz managed to come up with even more antics, anecdotes and advice. For example, some people subtly adjust to fix a wedgie, but this book encourages everyone to fly their underwear flag and discuss the wild world of wedgies (self-inflicted or from a naughty brother). I thought of dozens of people who would really appreciate this book and I wished something this important had been published in my childhood so I could have been informed about the right way to convince my mom that I was really too sick for school. Every. Single. Monday. Shenanigans are the new manners. The age range for the book is a complete farce (it says 9-12); I can think of numerous 50+ males who will have root beer coming out of their noses when they read this.

Good for kids, January 14, 2010
I bought Volumes 1 and 2 for my niece. She had briefly flipped through Vol. 1 months before and hadn't stopped talking about it. She apparently loves it, as does my step-daughter; they are both 10. I found it to be trite and rather silly, but I suppose that's why it's the Encyclopedia of "Immaturity." I usually am able to bond with their goofiness, but I don't quite get it this time. But I am definitely happy to see the kids having a positive experience with a book in their hand, and it does incite amusing conversations.

Way Too Much Fun for Kids, January 1, 2010
My 10 year old son already had Encyclopedia of Immaturity (Klutz)Volume 1 and loved it. We purchased that one at a Scholastic sale so unfortunately it did not have the spiral binding. This is important because there are pages that need to be photocopied or scanned and printed and the book binding does not lend itself to this.

When he found out that a new version was available, he was thrilled. This version comes with a wrap around hard cover and wire binding.

There is enough stuff in each of these books to keep kids entertained for hours. Some are practical jokes, others are strange facts.

It consists of primarily one page tidbits like "How to Make and Throw a Sloshie" (with water and toilet paper), the Physics of a Cannonball in the Water, How to Play Tabletop Hockey, and one of my son's favorites, How to Hypnotize a Chicken.

A few things are mischievous, others are old fashioned and fun.

They are all harmless and a real draw for young boys and girls.

A Blast., November 17, 2009
This book is a blast. It is full of father-sons kind of pranks and projects. What dad wouldn't enjoy making the "world's best paper airplane," along with his son? It is peppered with jokes and beginner magic projects. I read a lot with my 8 year old son, but this book is far and away the one he enjoys most. Buy it. You'll be glad you did. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Editorial Review

Imagine: the first Star Wars book that actually moves, bringing to life the most memorable scenes from the epic: Obi-Wan battles Darth Maul The Millennium Falcon zooms away from an exploding Death Star Luke rides a galloping Tauntaun, Yoda twirls his green lightsaber, Boba Fett blasts up, up and away! And of course the most memorable scene of all—red and blue lightsabers flashing, Luke and Darth Vader fight the ultimate battle between good and evil.

It’s a marriage made in a galaxy far, far away: phenomenal Scanimation meets Star Wars, the enduring epic that’s sold $42 billion in ticket sales and earned the title #1 Boys Action Toy License of all time. Created by Rufus Butler Seder, Star Wars: A Scanimation Book presents 12 of the most memorable scenes, in a landscape, i.e., movie format. It’s an homage from an artist obsessed with the earliest forms of capturing visual motion to an artist obsessed with the most advanced. But that’s not what young fans will care about—this is having pure movie magic in the palm of your hand, to replay again and again.
... Read more

Reviews

Amazing, July 17, 2010
I've always been intrigued and impressed by the Scanimation line of animated picture books. Their lo-fi eye candy is especially compelling in todays increasingly digital world. As soon as I saw the Star Wars edition today, I bought it on the spot at a local bookstore. After I signed my slip I realized I was so blown away by the product I forgot to check the price before I bought it.

Like all Scanimation books, the pictures are small in scope but big on animation. the animation is provided by alternating bands of tint, a very cool effect. Even the presence of several (3 or 4) scenes from the most recent three movies did not detract significantly from my enjoyment.

An excellent book for any fan of any of the three movies, or pop-up/childrens book collectors.

Great animation book!, July 5, 2010
My only complaint is that some of the pictures are very dark and hard to see. That said, my son (35 years) and my grandson (3 years) absolutely love this book.

How cool is this!, July 13, 2010
I saw this at B&N and had to get it for my star wars loving daughter (5). She absolutely loves it and loves reading the quotes too. I think it is pretty darn cool myself! I agree with the other review that the images are a little dark but I still think it's a great book and will be buying another for my best friend's son for his birthday. Oh, and buy it from Amazon, they sell it for $5 less than B&N. I had a gift card though and had to use it!

Dueling Light Sabres, May 27, 2010
A great new scanimation book. Love the Star Wars pictures, quotes, and reference to movie. A great gift for Star Wars fans of all ages.

Great book for collectors!, July 10, 2010
Bought this for my 26 year old son! He is a huge Star Wars fan. He loved it, had never seen anything like it before. It was definitely a hit, NOT just for "little" kids! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Kenny and Kathy Bear and their Busytown friends introduce new and familiar names for objects grouped by subject, theme, and setting, in the city and on the farm, at the dentist and at the grocer's, in the kitchen and at the circus and all the places they frequent. ... Read more

Reviews

A perfect first dictionary!, April 20, 1998
RICHARD SCARRY'S BEST WORD BOOK EVER is just that, the best word book ever for young children. Hundreds of words used in everyday langauge are represented in this fun, first dictionary.

Scarry's Busy Town characters introduce chidren to the world of words. Each page is dedicated to a different category of words such as "Tools", "At The Playground", and "At The Supermarket". Also included are the ABC's, number words, and words for parts of the human body.

Oprah Winfrey recently chose this book as one of the books she would recommend for children learning to read. I think this book is essential for every child's library. It is Terrific!

I was a little disappointed..., July 15, 1998
I had the book when I was little (we called it Big Book). When I bought it for my son recently, I had the feeling that I remembered pages that weren't there: birds, flowers, buildings. I hunted up my old copy and sure enough, there were quite a few pages missing in the newer book. But nowhere in Joey's book does it say it's a revised edition! What's in the book is great, but I can't get rid of the feeling that we got gypped!

Another problem with the book is that it's not bound very well. All our Richard Scarry books seem to fall apart at the spine in very short order. It's true we read them constantly, but we read other books as often, and they don't fall apart as quickly.

A Richard Scarry Classic, May 29, 2001
I think I could highly recommend all of Richard Scarry's books, but this is a one of the classics. This is the book I most identify with Richard Scarry. A large book with loads of things on every page - all with the word underneath. In addition, the cover has numbers to 20 and the letters of the alphabet all with the appropriate corresponding items. This more than anything taught my son not only how to count but what numbers actually mean. I am now buying our second copy; our first is missing it's cover and is torn on many pages. My son is almost 4 years old and has been "reading" this book since he was 9 months old (to himself)! Both he and my husband are big Richard Scarry fans and have converted me. I am buying this book again to begin teaching my son to read.

I highly recommend this book for children from babies to early school age. I don't know a child in my family who doesn't love it!

An Altered Classic, May 14, 2002
Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever was a favorite in our family when we were growing up in the 1970's. I bought a new book to share with my one-year-old daughter and it has become one of her favorites. She will page through the book on her own, pointing at different objects in the book and naming them.

My big complaint is that the editors have made extensive changes to the original book. Not only are many pages missing, but there has been a great effort to change artwork and characters in deference to political correctness. Where I thought many of the original characters could be thought to be either male or female, the editors have decided that there were not enough characters that were obviously female, so they have gone back and stuck bows on their heads. It seems they fear that kids will think that women can't work in construction unless they depict a bear with a bow stuck to her head driving a roller. While I believe that little girls can dream of doing any of these occupations, I don't think you need a bow in your hair to be female and I don't think you need to mess with the author's original classic illustrations.

Of course, my daughter is not comparing the book to a previous superior version; she just loves it as it is.

Oldie, but a goodie!, August 2, 2003
My son is in love with this book. My 2 year old is actually using my copy of the book (26th printing, 1979) but this book really stands the test of time. He has learned so many words with the aid of Richard Scarry, his most recent being 'fire truck'. Colorful pictures capture and hold his interest and the array of subject matter in the book is incredible: At the supermarket, various seasons and holidays, shapes and sizes, in the flower garden, clean-up time and so much more. Childhood would not be the same without Richard Scarry. No child should be without this book.

A book you will Wear-out!, August 12, 2000
This is the best book for pre-readers. Great drawings and characters that little ones love, such as Lowly Worm and Kenny and Kathy Bear. Between my two daughters (now 13 and 8), we have read this book so many times when they were little,that we have worn out three copies. I have bought two other copies to put away for when they have their own little ones. I only wish I would have written Richard Scarry a thanks before he passed away.

A wonderful book for introducing everyday things to children, September 6, 1999
The book lived up to my expectations in terms of content: lots of lovely illustrations and ideas. My two year old daughter adores the book. I have to agree with the review I read as regards binding. We have only had the book for about 4 weeks and the pages have come away from the spine - this is simply not good enough.

This edition vs. 1st edition, a comparison, FYI, June 26, 2009
I wrote this for the Unabridged edition, but I thought it would be useful to post it here as well:

A few notes on the differences between the unabridged "1400 Objects" edition of Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever, published 1963-1979 vs. the later 1980- "Revised" version. (Note not all post 1980 printings include the word revised on the cover, but they are all the revised edition.)

Golden books asked for a the late edit, which consists of three basic changes:
1. Political correctness, more animals are made "female" by attaching bows to their illustrations in the later edition.
2. 20 pages were removed, and lighter weight paper was used, to reduce printing costs.
3. Complexity of the vocabulary was reduced.

Someone noted the price difference, demand for the longer and more complex original exceeds supply, as it is out of print, and not likely to reappear.

While both versions are fine books, and an asset to any child's library, those seeking a cheaper book may seek the edited 70 page Abridged edition (anything 1980 or later,) but parents with the budget to cover it would probably want to consider the original, which goes more in depth.

A brief example to illustrate the point. Both editions have a section on art, describing colors and how they mix, paints, crayons, pencils and erasers. The later edition stops here. The earlier "Unabridged" goes on to introduce artists, sketches, canvas, murals, finger painting, still lifes, models, palletes, etc.

This wider reach of vocabulary and concepts is thematic of the 20 pages which were removed in the 1980 edit. The later edition still makes a fine starter and welcome edition to any child's library.

Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever, May 21, 2003
THIS IS THE BEST BOOK FOR KIDS! I had this book when I was a child so I was very excited when my sister gave it to my son for Christmas! He absolutely loves it and takes it to bed with him ever night in place of a stuffed animal! My son is 2 &1/2 and has learned to count to 15 because of this book! Every day he learns something new and is so excited to share it! I am now buying this book as a gift for my nephew and several other Richard Scarry books for my son! I would like to encourage you to but this book as it is one of the best purchases you can make for your child!

Best book ever., May 5, 2000
As an adult I'm somewhat embarrassed to say that my favorite book ever, is this book. As a kid, my brother and I use to fight over who would get to view and use this book. I have both the recently published and my original one that my mom bought us back in the 60s. I've viewed the new edition, and even though I haven't compared "page to page" it still gives me a great laugh, humor that Scarry put in that only adults would see, like the Pigs that are cutting the roast beef for "Meal Time." Hey, where's the Ham! A definite must for every eclectic library. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Over the last 50 years, Price Stern Sloan has published hundreds and hundreds of Mad Libs stories. Come fill out over 125 of the funniest ones in this deluxe oversize edition. This book also includes a history of the game as told by the creator Leonard Stern (complete with pictures) and stories filled out by today’s hottest stars! It’s the super-silly way to say _________ [adjective] 50th Anniversary, Mad Libs! ... Read more

Reviews

Loads of laughs!, May 24, 2008
I am happy I purchased this. I thought I had every mad lib known to mankind but there were a few in this book that were new to me. It will provide hours of entertainment!

The Best of Mad Libs, March 27, 2009
This book is a collection of Mad Libs taken from Price and Stern's other Mad Libs books like, "Off the Wall Mad Libs," "Dinosaur Mad Libs," and "Pirates Mad Libs."

This collection includes a History of Mad Libs by Stern and six Biography Mad Libs filled out celebrities, starring Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway.

This is a great addition to any word game collection.

The BEST, September 19, 2009
This book is huge! If you are planning on going on a road trip, Mad Libs are a necessity! This "Best of" book is great!

Mad Libs - to Eternity, May 31, 2009
What's more fun than being a kid doing Mad Libs at an all-girl sleepover? Being a (slightly inebriated,) middle aged, summer-camp nostalgic doing them at an all-girl sleepover. Though it's harder to come up with words sometimes (adverbs modify VERBS, people), both due to the inebriation and the lack of routine grammar quizzes to keep you current on that stuff, the results remain hilarious. Thank you Mad Libs for giving me some fond memories (both old and new).

Call it a Volume of Mad Libs, January 6, 2009
My daughter got this as a Christmas gift and LOVES it! She flies through the standard sized Mad Libs so this will really keep her busy for a while. The book is very thick and must contain practically all that were ever made. I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys Mad Libs and the price can't be beat.

A great deal on mad libs, December 20, 2008
This is a big book and the best one book to get for this entertaining word game.

Funny Stuff, March 22, 2010
I ordered this through pricesontheground dot com.
These things are really funny.
Great family activity.

Classic Fun!!, January 21, 2010
This made a great present for my sister for Christmas. Being Mad Libs fanatics when we were growing up this huge book had so many to choose from! It was the perfect and well worth the money!

Great Vocabulary Builder, September 18, 2008
We bought this for our 9 year old granddaughter for a Christmas present. We are most pleased with the book.\Thanks

Grandson's gift, August 14, 2009
This was a gift for my grandson who couldn't find MadLibs in his home town. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This is a fully updated edition of the extremely popular Children's Dictionary. Now with more than 35,000 entries, this edition has updated definitions, images, and details; plus 2,000 additional words and 900 additional images. ... Read more

Reviews

High Quality Children's Dictionary, January 4, 2002
Comprehensive, well illustrated, and written to be understood by children aged 9 - 12. The definitions of most words searched have been easily understood by my nine year old son. Some definitions have necessitated my participation to provide a more simplified explanation. A further noted weakness of the dictionary is that a significant number of words fail to provide an example of its use in a sentence. A more consistent usage of this feature would have resulted in a 5 star rating. These faults, however, are minor and should not deter the reader from purchasing this dictionary. Some noteworthy unexpected strengths of the dictionary was the inclusion of a reference section containing maps of the world and seven continents, illustrations of the flags of the world, a list of the 50 states and their capitals, and a listing of the Presidents and Vice-Presidents of the United States. A recommended companion to the dictionary is The American Heritage Children Thesaurus.

A great reference tool for youngsters, August 2, 2000
DK is the absolute best when it comes to non-fiction books for children. This illustrated dictionary is no exception. DK's style is clean, simple, and well-illustrated with color photos of the actual objects. Not only does this dictionary serve as a great reference tool, many children would enjoy sitting down and flipping through it just for fun. The illustrations will hold children's attention. If you don't already have a dictionary for your child, this is the one to get. And it is priced VERY reasonably. I work in a bookstore and recommend this one often.

Best Illustrated Dictionary for children, January 18, 2003
I bought the second copy in 6 months a week ago and gave it to a friend as a gift to their children. And they really loved it.

Its DK! Yes that matters. DK has mastered the art of making dictionaries. I have used DK Oxford American Illustrated dictionary. Dk made it so wonderful that when I sit with it I spend atleast 15 minutes. Wesbter knows how to convey the meaning of a word.

So you combine the best of DK and Webster you get this masterpiece. The salesrank for this book is less than 2000 and that tells you how popular this book is. I would just go ahead and buy it if I am thinking of buying 'a' book for children.

For children this book is a treasure from which they can learn new words seeing lots of pictures. If a kid wants to know what a fruit is he looks at fruit here he will also be able to learn all about fruits and types of fruits like dry fruits, etc. he turns the pages to fruit and finds the pictures of all kinds of fruits and that makes him recognise what a fruit is and what all fruits he eats.

There are 4000 pictures. Other books boast of 2000 pictures but they arent even close and all they got are bad and small pictures. All they carry is a small picture of an apple or something while explaining fruit. Also if you see letters XYZ alone you will see lot of pictures in this book. Its the best book rated in America and I have seen all children's dictionaries recently.

I had an option of choosing between this one and World children's dictionary which costs less. But I realised that a bad dictionary is no better than not having one. So I chose this one and its a perfect gift for my cousins. So if you are looking for a book to gift some kids, grab this one.

A replacement for the walking parental dictionary, December 19, 2000
I've been looking for a good dictionary for my 3rd grader, and have fallen in love with the DK Merriam Webster.

Our experience with the Scholastic First Dictionary had been unfortunate -- four of the four words she did not understand in a recent spelling homework had failed to make it into that dictionary at all. In contrast, the DK Merriam-Webster has had a rich set of words that seem to meet her demands. I am in danger of ceasing to be her walking dictionary!

Definitions are simple without being too watered down. For instance, we recently passed an opossum on the road. When she looked up opossum, there was a good picture, and a definition that it is "a common American animal related to the kangaroos that lives mostly in trees and is active at night." She was able to latch on to "related to the kangaroos" and "active at night" more easily than learning that it was a nocturnal marsupial.

In the back of the dictionary are reference sections that are brief but informative.

The layout of the dictionary is excellent, a good mix of pictures and text, and a nice color-coding scheme for alphabetical indexing. At the bottom of each page are examples of how to pronounce the phonetic symbols the book uses.

The heft of the book is good for a kid -- my daughter has mentioned several times that it feels like a "real" book -- but not unmanageable.

We'll have to see if the dictionary can truly take her through 8th grade or if she graduates to an adult dictionary before then. Either way, this book will have prepared her for a full adult dictionary very well.

Revolving Words, November 26, 2001
I initially bought this dictionary for my Grandchildren. It answers some of the many questions asked by my 6 and 10 year old Grands. I would have rated it a 5, but feel that a bit more explanation should have been provided for some words.

Nevertheless, I find my two Grands picking it up on their own. I am ordering more of them as gifts to family members who have discovered it on my kitchen counter and took an interest in it for their children.

Recommended!!

RND

The only dictionary your child will need until they are 10, February 5, 2001
This is the best dicitonary for young children. The vast number of definitions and words make it very useful in the classroom as well as at home. The illustrations just capture a child's attention and helps them to associate the word with the picture. The definitions a clear and precise. Sample sentences also help greatly in understanding the use of the word. The pronunciation notes are a godsend as well. This is the best dicitonary for primary and elementary school age children. It will help them along until they are ready to use the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dicitonary.

Pictures are great, but vocabulary content lacking, December 18, 2007
This dictionary is very kid-friendly; colored markers on the pages make it easy to find the letter you want to look up and the pictures are extensive and intriguing. However, in using this dictionary with K-6th grade students, I have found that it is lacking many words above a 4th grade level, and I have had to revert back to the good ol' Oxford English Dictionary many a time. If you are looking for a dictionary for grades 1-4 this one is great.

must have, November 3, 2003
I have a 6 and 8 year old who love this book! My boys are able to look up words and understand the definitions without it being "too easy". The illustrations are great too!!

As valuable as an Education Savings Account, March 1, 2005
This dictionary is indispensable for developing young minds who inquire at every turn, "What does ..... mean?" The beautifully illustrated, glossy cover advises that the contents include 32,000 entries and over 3,000 illustrations; this makes it a great vocabulary resource as well as being down right entertaining for kids. The pictures and illustrations are vividly colored, natural, not cartoonish, and very attractive.

The publisher says this dictionary is designed for ages 8 and up, but why wait until then to buy it for your little scholar. There are 911 pages with many aids for learning. The typography is clear, easy to read and printed on very sturdy paper. One of the handiest features is the color coded indexing that helps you find the letter of the alphabet by looking at the open edge of the book. There's a simple guide to pronunciation printed at the bottom of each page, but it's only two pages wide and then reprinted on each page.

One of my favorite features is the encyclopedic topical renderings that are interspersed throughout the dictionary. These give the young reader a look at a word with added details such as the context of the word and other valuable perspective. For example, the entry for "baseball" not only provides a definition of the word as "the ball" and "the game" but also illustrates the equipment used to play the game and shows the positions on the field.

Our family has had this book for more years than I can remember and it has held up to exceptionally hard use which makes it an excellent value, in my opinion. Even when your "kid" progresses so far in the English language that he or she says "it's juvenile," you will still find him or her sneaking a peek at the definitions because if the word appears in this book you can be assured it will be simply understandable.

Great dictionary, March 5, 2006
This is a great dictionary for kids. I received it in first grade, and it was used extensively in the past years. It has colorful photos illustrating various words, and the print is large enough for a young child to read.
The feature I found particularly useful was the color-coded letters of the alphabet at the side of the pages. You can easily find the letter you wish to look up that way.
I highly reccomend this dictionary to any kid attending 1st-4th grade. ... Read more

Editorial Review

In the crowded field of dinosaur books, this is the very first to offer children ages 7 to 10—those at the height of their enthusiasm for the prehistoric giants—complete coverage of all the known dinosaurs.
Don Lessem, author of more than 60 books—most of them about dinosaurs—teams up with Franco Tempesta, a talented illustrator with a fresh and appealing style. The exciting result is an accessible, visually stunning book that’s packed with facts that kids can use to impress their friends and families.
The Ultimate Dinopedia is organized by the periods that are well known to young enthusiasts: Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous. It includes almost every dinosaur ever discovered, and highlights 125 species that scientists know sufficiently to describe in rich detail. Special features include How We Know What They Looked Like, Baby Dinosaurs, Great Dinosaur Goofs, and much more. Every featured dino gets a fact box that delivers important information at a glance—Scientific Name, Discoverer, Place and Date of Discovery, Length, Habitat, Diet, Fossils, Fun Facts, and Range Map. This book provides—in fabulously illustrated, kid-friendly form—all the information an 8-year-old fact hound needs to lord that knowledge over parents and teachers! ... Read more

Reviews

FOR DINO LOVERS OF ALL AGES, November 2, 2010
THIS IS A FINE NEW BOOK FROM "DINO DON" LESSEM. ALTHOUGH IT IS TARGETED FOR CHILDREN AGES 9-12, IT IS TRULY FOR FOR DINO LOVERS OF ALL AGES. THE SUPERB, AT TIMES JAW DROPPING ARTWORK IS BY FAMED ITALIAN PALEO ARTIST FRANCO TEMPESTO. THE TEXT IS BRIEF BUT LIVELY. THERE IS AN INTRODUCTION, THEN 125 DINOSAURS ARE FEATURED IN TWO PAGE SPREADS. THE BOOK CONCLUDES WITH A DINO DICTIONARY WITH APPROXIMATELY 500 ENTRIES FOR DINOSAURS NOT COVERED IN THE MAIN TEXT. A SUPERBLY PRODUCED BOOK FROM NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC. GET A COPY FOR YOUR CHILDREN OR FOR YOURSELF.

Dino Kids Love this and so do I!!, November 30, 2010
This is a great book even for little ones. My son is 4 and loves it. Sure he is not old enough to read everything yet but the pictures are great! He feels like Dino Dan with a field guide. I love all the info that this book has that I can read to him! He loves to just soak up all the info he can on dinosaurs! I TOTALLY recommend this book!

Great for kids who love Dinosaurs, November 5, 2010
Truly comprehensive list of dinosaur species - concise 1 page synopsis of each. Great for my daughter age 7 who love Dinos. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Did you know that a great white shark can weigh as much as 15 gorillas? That meteorites the size of basketballs land on Earth about once a month? Kids will devour more than 300 wacky facts in Weird but True! 2—the second installment in a lively new spin-off series from the award-winning National Geographic Kids magazine.
National Geographic Kids is the nation’s largest magazine for children, with more than 1.3 million subscribers and 5 million readers. The brand is rapidly gaining traction in the book market, with the huge success of National Geographic Readers and the National Geographic Kids Almanac. Straight from the pages of the magazine’s top-scoring feature, this little book is chock-full of tremendous fun. It’s packed with even more of the wild-n-wacky facts, whimsical designs, and all-out reading fun that made the first Weird but True volume an early success.
This book’s compact size makes it easy to handle and fun to browse. Eye-popping photos and bold, colorful graphics nab kids’ attention and entice them to read. Brain-bending facts cover a broad range of topics, from science to foods to pop culture and just about everything else under the sun. Kids will have so much fun that they won’t even realize they’re learning. ... Read more

Reviews

Great visuals punch up the fun facts!, September 17, 2010
I would quote one of the fascinating facts about stuff like how fast your toenails grow and whether or not there's gold on the sun, but I don't have this book on my desk any more. I'm a children's librarian and my copy's already been checked out -- after all I got it yesterday! I love it when books sell themselves -- and when kids thank me on the way out the door for having ordered them! Do yourself a favor and do the same thing. Buy this book for your eight year old!

Student attention grabber, November 2, 2010
This book is like a coffee-table, gift-book type item for kids. Each page has gorgeous pictures and interesting text placement - a perfect work of art. It's a book that, for some reason, has me thinking about my ADD and ADHD students. I typically encourage students to borrow from my classroom library after finishing an assignment early, and the attention span of some of my students is quite short.

I envision these short, little snippets as being a favorite haunt of the book-browser (aka a kid who grabs a book, flips through it while hopefully reading some of it, and then goes for the next one). Ideally, I would love for every student to be a book-nerd like me, but that's not going to happen. Hopefully this book will sneak in a little fluency and vocabulary development while the beautiful, graphic quality has a them engaged and entertained.
... Read more

Editorial Review

Nickelodeon’s iCarly follows the life of spunky tween Carly and her BFF Sam as they host their own Web show. With 21 silly stories based on the hilarious hit show, iCarly Mad Libs will have you rolling on the floor ____________________ [verb]! ... Read more

Reviews

iCarly Mad Libs, February 27, 2009
Perfect for anyone who loves to watch iCarly. They will enjoy doing these mad libs and learn something at the same time.

iCarly is awesome!, March 12, 2009
Wow! I love iCarly and I never knew there was a mad libs for it! It is awesome! Because I am addicted to mad libs and iCarly! Great!

Great educational value, February 16, 2010
This little book is perfect for teaching tween girls (not sure about boys) all about spelling, writing, and grammar. It asks for adjectives, adverbs, plural nouns, etc. in filling out the form to make a weird story. If your youngling like iCarly this is a great buy for the educational value alone, not to mention the fun it is. ... Read more