Filled with engrossing and entertaining facts on such topics as sports, computers, current events, animals, movies and TV, science, and many more, an essential millennium edition of the popular resource quenches every childs' thirst for knowledge. Original. 100,000 first printing. Did you know that two earthquakes, one in 1811 and the other in 1812, rerouted the flow of the Mississippi River? Or that it was once illegal to hitch a crocodile to a trading post in the state of Michigan? By the time you finish reading this 336-page kids' almanac, you'll know how to make an origami whale; how magnets react to other magnets; how to translate your name into binary code; how a bill becomes a law; and how hot the sun is (hint: very). This special millennial edition includes information on making a time capsule as well as "50 big events of the last 1000 years." You'll also find more typical topics like the metric system, celebrity birthdays (which reveal that Claire Danes and popular children's book author Beverly Cleary share an April 12 birthday), the search for life beyond Earth, and how the human body works. Crammed with pop-culture tidbits--including brief biographies of Brandy and Adam Sandler and shots of preteen idols like Britney Spears and Prince William--this almanac takes the People magazine approach to imparting knowledge. If your favorite student makes an origami whale or two along the way, so much the better. (Ages 8 and older) --Claire Dederer "A useful tool for parents and kids alike....All in all, a nice, kid-friendly version of the perennial adult version." -- Los Angeles Times "Will be used with enthusiasm by youngsters in school and at home. The World Almanac for Kids is attractive, easy to use, and well indexed." -- American Library Association Booklist "A terrific book of facts, games, and helpful stuff...It makes a great addition to a back-to-school backpack...Anyone from 6 to past 60 will have fun browsing it." -- Buffalo News "Readers won't be able to resist scanning through this fascinating treasury of facts, illustrations and charts." -- Kansas City Star "It's a paperback jiffy reference with data on sports, people, places, dates, science and the human body, holidays, movies, computers, and the environment." -- Atlanta Constitution " The World Almanac for Kids is a perfect gift. The almanac is literally packed with information on all kinds of topics, from computers to health to movies. Best of all, it's got hundreds of illustrations, as well as puzzles and games. This is a book you'll want on your shelves for easy reference." --Scripps Howard News Service "In addition to all of the stuff teachers expect kids to learn, it contains a heavy dose of the stuff kids want to learn." -- Boston Herald "It's kid-friendly, with fun facts in addition to things kids need to know....The book tells kids about animals, art, religion, sports, books, law, language, science, and computers, plus it offers full-color pages of maps and flags, and eye-catching graphics." -- Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel "Children can get all the answers they want. This up-to-the-minute, comprehensive book is packed with information....With a kid-friendly, visually appealing format, The World Almanac for Kids is designed to spark an interest in learning." -- ParentGuide "Worth its weight in gold for homework help, school projects and reports....The book has sections on everything from animals to world history....This is a terrific resource that may inspire kids to dig deeper." -- San Antonio Express News "The most entertaining children's book of facts published this year. Grade: A." -- Microsoft Network Book Forum "A perfect way to have the facts at your fingertips. There's something in here for everyone." -- Memphis Commercial Appeal "About as close to a single-volume guide to everything as you'll ever find. Packed with information, The World Almanac for Kids presents its facts with all the excitement of a game show." -- Family Fun Magazine "A must for every 8- to 12-year-old's bookshelf....Every subject from animals to weather is covered, including recent events....This compact take-it-everywhere guide even includes interactive games, puzzles, and listings of children's museums for family outings." --Copley News Service " The World Almanac for Kids is an accessible information compendium filled with facts kids are interested in. Puzzles, games, geography, sports, history....All the best browsing stuff in bundled into this illustrated guide for ages 6 to 14." -- St. Paul Pioneer Press "You don't have to be a youngster to love the kind of major and minor facts and figures in The World Almanac for Kids ....This almanac is full of graphics and has an engaging sense of humor." -- Sacramento Bee "News and facts arranged in a kid-friendly, visually appealing way. The almanac also features challenging games and puzzles to encourage kids to use the information they've learned." -- Associated Press "A valuable re