The Kingfisher History Encyclopedia

Features

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 491 pages
• Published by: Kingfisher; 269 edition September 9, 2004
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0753457849
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0753457849
• Book Dimensions: 11 x 8.4 x 1.7 inches
• Weighs: 4.9 pounds

From School Library Journal
Grade 5 Up-A broad, illustrated look at the history of humanity. The book is divided into ten sections, each representing a different time period from 40,000 B.C.E. to the present. All of them begin with a "Glance" at the world for the given dates. Following these brief overviews, double and single-page spreads subdivide the eras into smaller time segments covering topics such as "The Gupta Dynasty A.D. 321-510," "East India Companies 1600-1700," and "Benin and Zimbabwe 1100-1480." The spreads contain a few bite-sized paragraphs of facts, informative captions, and, often, an inset of "Key Dates." They are profusely illustrated with quality black-and-white and full-color photographs, drawings, reproductions, and maps, and feature a helpful time line running across the tops of the pages. Information on art, architecture, and science and technology concludes each section. "Ready Reference" lists the names and dates of the rulers of the major powers throughout history, popes, and major wars. The 12-page index covers the textual material but does not always offer access to captioned information. Although the book will answer some reference questions, its strength lies in its potential to spark interest in any number of subjects among browsers.
Priscilla Bennett, State University of West Georgia, Carrollton
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist
Designed to help students ages 8-14 with homework or a school project, this revised and updated book is also an interesting and enjoyable resource to browse. Organized chronologically and then thematically, the encyclopedia divides history into ten time periods, from "The Ancient World 40,000-500 B.C." to "The Modern World 1950-Present Day." This last section concludes with the "War on Terror" and has information current to 2003.

Each section begins with a two-page spread showing "The World at a Glance," a map, and brief text highlighting events that were occurring on each continent during the period. This is followed by approximately twenty one- or two-page topical entries. Non-Western cultures are represented. For example, "The Renaissance" includes entries on the Aztecs, Safavid Persia, Japan and China, and the Songhay Empire. In addition to text, entries have boxes showing key dates, a running time line at the top of each page, maps, and numerous illustrations, almost all of them in color. Each large chronological section concludes with a series of pages that give overviews of the arts, architecture, and science and technology. A highly useful ready-reference section at the end of the volume provides the names and dates of a variety of rulers (for example, Roman emperors, popes, kings and queens, presidents, prime ministers) and ancient Egyptian and Chinese dynasties. A list of major wars and a brief listing of Web sites are also provided.

Students will find this tool useful and engaging, and adults will enjoy browsing through it as well. School and public libraries will want to purchase this update and circulate older editions. Shauna Yusko
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Reader Reviews
This review is from: The Kingfisher History Encyclopedia (Kingfisher Family of Encyclopedias) (Hardcover) I have recently begun homeschooling my 6th grader, and am using The Well Trained Mind as a curriculum guide. This book was listed as a must-have for a classical education, which is based heavily in literature and history. I must say that when we received the Kingfisher History Encyclopedia, it looked very impressive. It is a hefty volume, with colorful pages and a timeline which runs across the top of the pages. However, after only a few weeks of use, my daughter has come to dread the sight of this book whenever it is time for history lessons. It is very dry reading. The one to two-page spreads for each topic/culture/era have so little valuable content, that there is little opportunity for the spark of interest to be ignited. They have so condensed the information, that it is mostly a list of dates, names, etc. And there are boxes every couple of pages listing the same dates over again. The text is written chronologically, so each time you turn the page a different culture is discussed, and what they were doing during that time period. This concept sounds better on paper than in practical use. While the time periods overlap somewhat, it does tend to jump around a quite bit. The continuity of what should be exciting and intriguing becomes very choppy and disjointed and as a result frustrating and boring. What might be interesting stuff becomes distracting and in some cases irritating when it interrupts another story. For example, the rise and fall of Rome, while severely abridged, may have still interested my child, if it had not been broken up by seven other topics. Huge chunks of time (several centuries)are condensed into a paragraph, or even a sentence or two. Other chunks go unmentioned. For example, the Qin Dynasty in China lasted less than twenty years, and got the same attention as the Celts, who were around for 500 years. The first 400 years of Christianity are covered in the same amount of space. So I am seeing my daughter becoming confused about the significance of these subjects, and not really grasping the "chronological order", despite adding new information daily to the 8-foot timeline we keep on the wall. Also,I am constantly amazed at what the makers of this book did not see as important enough for further discussion. For example, in our studies so far, The Great Wall of China has been depicted in a 1/4 page illustration, but only the date it was begun and a sentence or two on why it was built is listed. Julius Caesar is mentioned briefly, and simply that he was assasinated(!?), and I have yet to find any mention of Cleopatra. Overall, this book might be a good addition to your library just to have around for kids to leaf through, or as a springboard for other reading. It does mention cultures I never learned about in school (i.e.,the Guptas )but is not very useful as a reference tool, as there really is not any in-depth information on very many things. In it's effort to cover all bases in a single volume, Kingfisher fails to teach children what history really is -- a really great story. Comment | | (Report this)