The New Book of Knowledge Annual 1975

I've been checking around trying to decide what set of encyclopedias to buy for my daughter. Even though in this day and age, you can type in any search on the internet and get information... there is nothing like being able to flip through books, looking at pictures and letting your curiosity take you into topics you didn't know existed. In any case, I am quite impressed by the New Book of Knowledge in comparison with the more expensive World Book. There are a couple of reasons. The articles in NBK are well written and very well illustrated. The experienced media specialist at the school I teach at agrees, as she also prefers NBK. The pictures are as well done and interesting to students. Best yet, the print is much easier to read than the microscopic print in World book. (Young eyes may be able to read that tiny print, but it will overwhelm them, they're used to books with larger print in 3rd-5th grade or middle school.) It's a comprehensive set and easy to locate information. Go to their website and check them out for more info. I am also working on my master's in media (library science) by the way. DH

When I was around seven or so, a salesman going door-to-door managed to finagle my parents into buying about three-hundred dollars worth of useless educational tools; among them a sort of machine to improve speed-reading skills, a device that would wind up scrolls of math problems, and a large globe atlas. Among these, however, was probably one of the best investments my parents ever made for me: a set of the New Book of Knowledge. This is simply an excellent encyclopedia. The reading level averages to around what most fifth or sixth grade students can digest easily, but the writing is dense and comprehensive enough so that even as an adult, I find myself going back from time to time when I think of a topic I want a brief, comprehensive overview of. Even in this day and age of Google and Wikipedia, it's still nice to have something reliable and accurate on hand (not to mention, something which can't be vandalised). The range of articles is impressive. A selection: Football, Greek Mythology, Art and Architecture of China, Physics, Television, Etiquette, Sexuality, Mental Health, William Shakespeare, Astronomy and whatever else you can think of, really. All are presented with a maturity and seriousness, written by experts in their respective fields yet always with the attention-span and reading capabilities of children in mind. Each article generally has several sub-headings that go into more detail for a comprehensive treatment, and almost all of them have at least one (if not multiple) full-color photographs/illustrations. So if you find yourself at a loss when your child asks you why the sky is blue, this is a good go-to set.

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I love the blue covered set of encyclopedias. They seem very durable and colorful. My children started reading Volume A as though it was a book. It had easy to read articles with detailed color photos. It goes into some depth without getting too technical, but covering subjects surprisingly well.You can get a free copy of Volume 1/A at scholastic books. But you will have to cancel or by the whole set when volume 2/B arrives. The price is actually good, comparatively. Don't pay any extra for special shipping -- try the trial version.