DORLING KINDERSLEY ENCYCLOPEDIA

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

An updated and thematically organized guide to science and technology, which supports modern science curricula. Containing over 2200 entries, it includes biographies of scientists and inventors, timecharts detailing landmarks in science, and factboxes on subjects of general scientific interest.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

School Library Journal Review

Gr 4-8‘A revision of the 1993 edition with minor changes and additions, this volume differs from its nearest competitor, The Kingfisher Science Encyclopedia (1993) chiefly in its basic organization; rather than an alphabetical arrangement, the 280 entries are grouped into 12 topical sections ("Weather," "Ecology," "Reactions," etc.). Each one-to-two page article is drizzled with small, clipped color photos and paintings supplemented by boxed capsule biographies, brief side excursions, and see-also references. The book concludes with a relatively dense "Fact Finder Section" into which are gathered charts, statistics, and specialized terms. Updating has been done with such a light hand that there is still no mention of flat-screen TV, the World Wide Web, cloned mammals, or the Mars Pathfinder expedition. Still, for its emphasis on the interconnectedness of science and technology, this title has a place in collections. Consider it as a fresh replacement copy rather than a new work.‘John Peters, New York Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

DK has a reputation for putting information in a format that is visually pleasing, textually accurate, and terse. They have done it again with these one-volume encyclopedias. Within each encyclopedia, each section begins with a short introduction to the subject and then, using illustrations and short paragraphs, goes into more detail to explain specific topics. Cross-references lead to entries on related subjects. Generally, each topic is covered on a double-page spread, half of which is illustration (labeled photographs and diagrams). The typefaces vary in size: the first paragraph is larger, the text slightly smaller, the captions smaller still. A glossary and index complete each volume. Sections are broad in scope. In DK Nature Encyclopedia, the "How Living Things Work" section begins with the cell and covers photosynthesis, respiration, and reproduction. Also covered are growth and development, movement, communication, and migration. The ecology section covers every type of ecosystem and discusses the relationship between humans and nature. The plant and animal chapters include information on every major plant and animal group. Librarians are often hard pressed to locate an easy-to-understand explanation of scientific classification--the presentation in this encyclopedia is excellent. It begins with one animal and moves up the classification ladder by showing how more and more species are included. Subsequent pages discuss each group in more detail, and many entries have "profile" boxes highlighting a particular species of animal or plant from the group. The DK Science Encyclopedia is a revised version of Dorling Kindersley Science Encyclopedia [RBB D 1 93]. It features more than 280 main entries and 1,900 subentries grouped under subjects such as matter, materials, weather, and space. The section on space has been updated to include information on Voyager 1 and 2, although "Using Computers" contains nothing about the World Wide Web. A "Factfinder" section has charts, tables, and maps. DK Ultimate Visual Dictionary of Science covers just about every major concept and historical development in science. It is divided into chapters that cover nine broad areas of science, such as physics, life sciences, and medical science. Each chapter begins with a table of contents that lists the topics covered, followed by a history of their development and a time line of important discoveries. The chapters range in length from 18 pages ("Mathematics") to 58 pages ("Life Sciences and Ecology"). A "Useful Data" section has such information as units of measurement and physics formulas. A four-page "Biographies" section has very brief biographical profiles; no women are mentioned, not even Nobel Prize winners such as Barbara McClintock. The illustrations are beautifully reproduced and meticulously labeled; of particular note are the illustrations of wave behavior, the functional areas of the brain, and stellar life cycles. The photographs of ancient/historical items are fascinating and add to the wonder of our modern methods. The time lines will be a boon to students who are often assigned time-line projects. The three titles cover many of the same topics but use completely different text and illustrations. One of the chief differences is the way in which content is organized. Ultimate Visual is arranged by scientific discipline, while Nature and Science take a less academic approach, grouping topics under broad categories likely to be of interest to younger readers--weather, how living things work. Ultimate Visual often presents information in a way that is more complex and detailed. Nature and Science each cover animal classification in two pages, but Ultimate Visual covers it in four, relying less on illustrations and more on tables. Cross-references in Ultimate Visual appear in bold type within the text, instead of in separate "find out more" boxes. Nature and Science are designed for children ages eight and up, but, as in other DK publications, the page layout, small print, and vocabulary level may make them confusing and difficult for younger readers. Both are suitable for upper-elementary and middle-school children and will serve as good beginning points for more in-depth research. Ultimate Visual will be infinitely useful to older students and adults who want a detailed overview of science.