Reviews (1)

MAGNIFICENT
WOW!! This book is incredible, when you buy it you will not want to let it go. This encyclopedia is ilustrated with very beautiful color images of all things related to ancient history and society. This book talks about the paleolithic, china, japan, incas, maya, greek, roman, egiptian culture and even more. Each segment of the book concerning one of the culture talks about every aspect: from their food, religion, clothing, jewelry, crops, rituals, animals, music, instruments. Well you name it, you're going to get it. At the bottom of the pages you will see easy to do projects for kids and even for adults concerning that culture. For example, the book teaches you to make a musical instrument just like the one the egiptians used or how to make a paper mache mask that resembles the incas or mayas or how to make an armor just like the roman soldiers among other great projects. You will not make a mistake in buying this book. It is fun and very educational. ... Read more

Book Description

Did you know? In just one minute the Earth travels 1,100 miles around the sun. Cartwheel champ Brianna Schroeder turns 48 cartwheels. 28,824 photographs are taken (822 of them at Disney World). Over $60,000 is spent on eBay. You lose 8 brain cells, 40,000 skin cells, and one taste bud. (How weird.) A ladybug flaps its wings 60,000 times. 6,805,555 e-mails are sent (35% of them Spam). Jean-Yves Mulot breaks 42 flaming concrete blocks with his bare hand. Whew!

Filled with hundreds of incredible and true facts and statistics, The 60-Second Encyclopedia puts a whole new spin on math, science, nature, the human body, and popular culture, too. And, with a one-minute sandglass packaged with the book and dozens of interactive activities, readers can test what they (or their hamster) can accomplish in the same amount of time it takes "the wave" to move through 1,200 stadium seats. Or the amount of time advertisers paid $4.6 million for during Super Bowl XXXVIII.

In just one minute . . .

• The Franklin Mint produces 36,458 coins.

• Racehorses are halfway around the Kentucky Derby racetrack.

• Giant machines make over 6,000 feet of toilet paper.

• 9 million telephones ring, and over 580,000 messages are recorded on answering machines. ... Read more

Book Description

Preserved people can tell us things that skeletons can't-hairstyles and tattoos can tell us what people looked like, full stomachs can tell us what thev ate, and autopsies can reveal what diseases they suffered.

With sections on Egyptian mummies, bog bodies, Einstein's brain, and the Ice Man, The Encyclopedia of Preserved People provides a fascinating look at those men, women, and children whose bodies have been preserved until the present day. It proves that history is not about dull dates, but about people who laughed, cried, ate, and worked, just like us-yet who were also incredibly different. It includes an index and a bibliography and is illustrated by over 30 full-color photographs.


From the Hardcover Library Binding edition. ... Read more

Book Description

Travel back to the Jurassic era with The Great Book of Dinosaurs, a colorful encyclopedia featuring some of the world's most exotic creatures. From the Allosaurus to Triceratops, this volume offersplenty of detailed and fascinating facts about dinosaurs and how they lived, as well as pronunciation keys and up-to-date information on the latest fossil discoveries. Written by experts Lynne Gibb and Dr. Michael Benton, this colorful book with over 200 illustrations provides a complete guide to everything you ever wanted to know about these prehistoric giants. Internet links are provided to encourage further exploration. ... Read more

Book Description

This colorfully illustrated visual encyclopedia will awaken young minds tothe wonders and mysteries of the natural world. Mega: Naturaleza y Ecología takes readers through the world"s most beautiful landscapes, introducing the varied wildlife and geography of each region. Additionally, information on endangered species and the negative impact of humans on the environment introduces an awareness of the fragility of the natural world. ... Read more

Book Description

Beginning readers will have fun exploring and discovering each exciting new topic, including the ways children live in different parts of the world, the workings of the human body, and surprising and fascinating facts about plants and animals. ... Read more

Book Description

Geography, science and technology, history, politics, religion, sports and the arts are all covered, in this comprehensive and portable reference. The clear, alphabetical organization makes it easier to gather information and tackle homework assignments.Special Features:Text can be read section by section or as a complete article.Cross-references.'Fast Fact' boxes and fully annotated diagrams. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A World of Possibilities in a Format for Today's Child
As a child our well worn set of encyclopedia created a life long desire to know and learn by opening the door to a world of possibilities. Now children have the world at their fingertips online in a way we could never have imagined, but it doesn't have to create a 'bookless' culture. Books are windows on the world, opening doors of possibilities that anyone can still enjoy, and this handy, concise, little book can help a child realize just that. The illustrations and photographs are just large and bright enough to catch your eye, without using up the entire page as many 'children's encyclopedia's' do. There is valuable information along with the entertaining and interesting graphics that keep an internet savy child thumbing through this book. I'm buying one for all seven of my grandchildren, learning is fun and I want them to see the possibilities!

Manipulative marketing and straight lies
This book is weird. On page 256 it creates an impression that the first manned space flight was performed by Neil Armstrong in 1969. Actually, it was Yuri Gagarin in 1961. Neil Armstrong did moon landing, but not the first space flight. This "encyclopedia" does not mention Yuri Gagarin at all. Then on page 235 it tells that the Russian state started in Moscow in 1147. Actually, it was in Kiev in 9th century. By 1000 A.D. Kievan Russia was already a large centralized Christian state. Moscow became the second capital as a result of Mongol invasion. Then on page 236 it sort of states that Russian people are mostly "uneducated peasants" with "limited skills". Full quote from Kingfisher's: "RUSSIA AND BALTIC STATES. LIMITATIONS AND DEVELOPMENTS. Russia was held back by its very size and its limited skills. It consisted of a vast mass of uneducated peasants ruled by a tiny class of officials." I compared several Kingfisher's articles with a credible source (Encyclopedia Britannica) and found numerous contradictions. Who wrote this stuff? ... Read more

Book Description

From Aardvark to Zebra, the more than 450 entries in this encyclopedia cover all the animals young children are likely to encounter, whether in their backyards, in local zoos, or in picture books. ... Read more

Book Description

Some 360 million years ago the ancestors of today's reptiles and amphibians emerged from the sea to take on the challenge of land. This successful venture climaxed in a spectacular 140-million-year domination of the Earth by the dinosaurs. Today there are more than 11,000 species of reptiles and amphibians living in all parts of the world. Their behavior and physiology are as complex as those of birds and mammals, and they are equally well-adapted to the astonishingly varied environments they inhabit. Only through a greater understanding of the fragile balance that exists between the species and their habitats will it be possible for us to ensure their survival. This Second Edition of Reptiles and Amphibians is a magnificently illustrated book, with highly comprehensive and authoritative text, written by the world's leading herpetologists. The book has more than 200 superb color photographs and 100 original paintings, maps, and diagrams. It is an up-to-date and definitive volume that chronicles the life-histories of some of nature's most secretive yet remarkable creatures. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A fine reference
I am not trained in zoology and approach this subject as a complete amateur and a beginner amateur at that. This book is lavishly illustrated with expert and precise drawings as well as breathtaking photography that is more than adequat in conveying the beauty and complexity of the book's subject matter.

The "Key Facts" corner of every chapter gives useful basic information, e.g. the biggest and smallest of snakes, lizards or whatever - and how many are endangered. One cutaway view of a rattlesnake's rattle is particularly fascinating, though it only leaves me asking for more internal anatomical views.

While the writing is generally good, it sometimes lapses into a specialist's jargon that leaves us amateurs scratching our heads. Even when words like "lamellae" and "setae" are explained, might it just suffice to call them "overlapping plates" and "projections" respectively when discussing how geckos can "stroll on the ceiling"? I found myself looking back to check on what term meant what. Also, rather than a photograph, a drawing of the gecko foot might be more revealing - and there the scientific terms could be introduced.

But this is a minor complaint. I have no regrets whatsover about purchasing this book. it is a brilliant and spectacular tribute to the animal world's great wonders.

A Great Book for anyone, from the ameteur to the expert
Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians, Second Edition gave exellent synopsi on many herpetofauna ranging from the common green tree frog, to the care New Caledonian geckos. This encyclopedia will be enjoyed by anyone who has a genuine interest in reptiles and amphibians. ... Read more

Book Description

With a foreword by the award-winning fantasy author Jonathan Stroud, and
illustration by some of the world's best illustrators including John Howe, the
Fantasy Encyclopedia is a spectacular one-stop guide to the creatures and people of folklore and fantasy. From goblins and fairies to dragons and Dracula, this encyclopedia covers them all with sparkling, readable text and stunning illustrations. Discover how the magic of stories throughout the centuries has kept these creatures alive in traditions and cultures around the world. Using a highly visual approach, featuring more than 400 photographs and illustrations, this book will introduce readers to each fantasy character within its habitat and genre. Cross-reference boxes direct readers to popular books and movies starring these fantastical creatures. This is a must-have for any fantasy enthusiast! ... Read more