Scholastic Kid's Almanac for the 21st Century

This is a reference book that's not afraid to treat kids like the intelligent creatures they are (or are sure to become any minute now). Laden with graphics and fun facts, this robust almanac imparts a wealth of real information, cleverly presented. An anatomy of a personal check shows kids exactly how those mysterious slips of paper that mom and dad use as money actually work. A calendar of comets shows when to expect the return of Halley's comet (2061). A list of deadly plants reveals that the benign-seeming azalea can be fatal. There are, in fact, a multitude of the kinds of lists kids adore: the Chinese years 1900-2007, so readers can look up their totemic Chinese birth animal; a list of which American presidents appear on which bills; the world's top 10 highest dams (not a one in the United States). Meanwhile, young scholars will find plenty of nuts-and-bolts charts that will prove helpful on homework assignments for years to come. The greatest hits of reference are all here: the periodic table, the multiplication table, the branches of government, all cleanly and handsomely displayed. A nice feature is the list of "key ideas" found at the beginning of each subject chapter. For aerodynamics, these include explanations of the terms rocket and space probe; for history, they include apartheid and dynasty. This is the almanac that will get used. (Ages 8 and older) --Claire Dederer