The Kingfisher Science Encyclopedia

The Kingfisher Science Encyclopedia

Today's children stand on the threshold of a new millennium that promises incredible scientific and technological advances. The need to understand basic scientific principles has never been greater and these principles are brought within the grasp of every child by The Kingfisher Science Encyclopedia. All the essential subject areas, from Space and Time, Materials and Technology, to Human Biology, are covered in this one-volume encyclopedia. Accurate, approachable, and an indispensable source of information for school projects, The Kingfisher Science Encyclopedia is the perfect gift for the up-and-coming Bill Gates, Albert Einstein, or Marie Curie in the family. Special Features: More than 3,500 indexed references. Thematic arrangement. Important events highlighted. Illustrated biographies of key figures. Cross-references. Comprehensive index. Glossary.

From Booklist

A popular science resource last published in 2000 has received a small dose of updating. Arrangement is topical, with 10 chapters covering subjects such as "Planet Earth," "Human Biology," and "Conservation and the Environment." Within chapters, following a brief introduction, an average of 27 entries cover a variety of smaller topics. Most entries extend over two pages and are equal parts text and colorful photographs, drawings, diagrams, cutaways, and other illustrations that are sure to draw interest. Each chapter closes with a page of "Facts and Figures." All topics are cross-referenced to entries containing related material.

A "Ready Reference" section in the back of the volume includes units of measurement, conversion tables, geometric shapes, and brief descriptions of important scientists and discoveries. A two-page glossary has a sidebar devoted to computer terms.

The topical arrangement makes a good table of contents and index essential. The table of contents is clearly laid out and easy to browse, but students may be frustrated by the index. Fourteen page references are provided for telescope and six for television,for example, but the pages for the sections that specifically deal with these topics are not called out in any way.

We found most evidence of updating in the "Space and Time" chapter, where small portions of text related to space exploration have been revised, and the number of moons in the solar system has been changed to reflect recent discoveries. Changes have been made to the "Facts and Figures" pages; for example, several lists of "Key Dates" now include twenty-first-century advances. Providing students with current science material is essential, and though the volume has not been extensively revised, libraries should acquire it to replace the previous version. This attractive, browsable, reasonably priced encyclopedia definitely has a place beside titles offering more depth, such as the six-volume New Book of Popular Science. Mary Ellen Quinn

• Series: Kingfisher Science Encyclopedia
• Hardcover: 488 pages
• Publisher: Kingfisher; 1st edition (September 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0753452693
• ISBN-13: 978-0753452691
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.9 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 pounds