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| Last Updated: Jan 20th, 2009 - 19:56:46
| Reviews - Books for Children |
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Kids Almanac and World Atlas - Review
By Cynthia Kirkeby
Aug 15, 2007, 19:54 PST
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The 2008 TFK (Time for Kids) Almanac is packed full of all sorts of information. Like the old Farmer’s Almanac of my childhood, with which I spent hours of fascinated reading, this new version from Time for Kids has intriguing tidbits in all manner of subjects.
The TFK Almanac the perfect quick reference for kids that love records. There are top ten lists throughout the book in all sorts of subjects. You can learn which ten dog and cat breeds top the list, or which 10 languages are spoken the most throughout the world. Then ponder why only two of the top five languages studied by American students make the top ten global list. Perhaps it’s time for us to revisit which languages we’re recommending in school?
It’s interesting to see what happens in our minds when information is streamlined into bite sized morsels. At times we see connections that we might not have seem if the information was handled in the classic article format. That’s one of the strengths of the TFK Almanac format… you never know what you might stumble across. There are tasty tidbits on art, countries, geography, inventions, math, mythology, science, sports, the United States and so much more.
I must admit to being a fan of almanacs from years ago, but this new version from Time for Kids is much livelier than the one I dog-eared year after year in my youth. Bright colors and illustrations galore bring the facts to life on the page, and TFK mystery people and games throughout the book, keep the trivia nuts on their toes.
The TFK World Atlas is a different beast. It's full of basic maps with miniscule amounts of information on each country. It really can't compete with the information that is found in a full traditional atlas. The TFK World Atlas is lacking too many forms of information. I think students would be poorly served if this were the only atlas they used.
So, this is a split review on the newest offerings from Time for Kids. The TFK World Atlas is too thinly designed for my taste, conjuring up memories of the old Wendy's commercial..."Where's the beef?" However, I give a huge thumbs up on the TFK Almanac 2008. In a perfect world, every kid would have their own copy to dog-ear to their hearts content.
Here are some great ideas of how to use the TFK Almanac in your classroom:
- Explore the Olympics (Almanac 2008, p. 36-85):
- Which three continents have never hosted an Olympics? (Africa, South America, Antarctica)
- Which country has won the most medals at the Winter Games? (Norway, with 280 medals)
- What do the five Olympic rings represent? (The five major regions of the world: Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania)
- Take your kids on the campaign trail (Almanac 2008, p. 100-109):
- How many electoral votes are required to elect a president? (At least 270)
- Which state has the most electoral votes? (California)
- Who was the only President to be unanimously elected? (George Washington)
- Go green with your family (Almanac 2008, p. 86-91):
- How many trees are cut down to produce a year’s supply of newspapers? (30 million trees)
- What percentage of water on earth is available for human use? (About one-third of 1% of all water on earth)
- How many beaches were closed in 2004 due to pollution? (20,000)
© Copyright 2007 by Classbrain.com
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