ELEM: HIT=> animal encyclopedias

[Johanna Halbeisen Rebecca Johnson School]

I didn't get much on general science encyclopedias, but got lots of
recommendations for animal reference sources.  Here's the summary:

"Wildlife of the World," 13 vol. set [Benchmark Books/Marshall
Cavendish (800-821-9881)] is good for Gr 3-4 in terms of content and
layout.  (this one was mentioned by four people)

National Geographic - Book ofMammals. It is a 2 volume book of the
major and obscure mammals of the world, arranged alphabetically with
great photos. It has a 1981 copyright date, so I don't know if it has been
updated or is still available .

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Wildlife, distributed by Encyclopedia
Britannica.  It received good reviews when it came out, and is very
popular.  Published in 1991.

We have the Grolier animal series here. the children like to use them.

I use print World Book in conjunction with the CD World Book.  The third
graders can find the information they need.  But again, it is a bit too
difficult for under that grade.

I just received the one volume Dorling Kindersley Encyclopedia of
Science.  It has a two page spread for each topic and great pictures, as
does all DK books.  I'm not too sure about how it will be used.

We are quite happy with two new animal encyclopedias.
_Wildlife of the World_ from Marshall Cavendish and
_Amazing Animals_ from Grolier, Danbury CT
Both encyclopedias arrange the animals in alphabetical order, have good
color photos, fact boxes as well as narrative, and an index in the last
volume.  _Amazing Animals_ has more animals, I think, and almost twice
as many volumes, but _Wildlife_ spends a little more space per animal.
Reading level for both is upper elementary. Interest level I'd say
is gr. 1-8.

The Grolier Illustrated Encyclopedia of Animals 1994.  4 vol. $100 (about)

Amazing Animals of the World 1995.  24 vol.  about $250 set (is this by
Groliers?? reports are confusing.  Ed.)

Good for 4th thru sixth grade:
* The New Book of Popular Science publ by Grolier
* Growing up with science : the illustrated encyclopedia of invention.
published by H.S.Stuttman and distributed by Marshall Cavendish.
according to the Marshall Cavendish catalog, Growing up with
Science (28 vol. $299.95) is highly recommended for use with use
for fourth grade and up (quote from SLJ review 5/1/85.
* For health, we have the Marshall Cavendish Encyclopedia of Health.

I like getting lots of animal monographs so that students can check them
out.  Also, we bought the Marshall Cavendish Endangered Species
Encyclopedia (Not exact title, but close--I'm home), and while it is
difficult for grades 2 and 3, every grade above that adores it, including
high school students in our K-12 school.  It is really a classy reference
tool on endangered and threatened species.

Groliers' Amazing Animals of the world is excellent.

CD ROMs
Mammals: A Multimedia Encyclopedia?
The SanDiego Zoo Presents . . . The Animals! ? Both of these are very good.
Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Science is rated very good.
Bound-To-Stay-Bound   1995-1996 CD-ROM Catalog or from other
vendors.

We have World Book networked onto five
workstations, and I have had great success with third graders  using it.
The font is easy to read.  They learn to scroll through the outline on
the left to get to the section they want.  I find it excellent.

But there are those students who still find it hard to read  (the
level).  For them I have FIRST CONNECTIONS, a Golden Book encyclopedia
that will even read it to them (though in a computer robot voice, not too
natural) if they want.  The size of the print is large, the articles are
not too long, and the reading level is lower than World Book.  I have had
good first grade readers use this one.

almost the best for that level is the First Connections CD that I have.


--
Johanna Halbeisen                               "We are confronted by
Rebecca M. Johnson School(K-8)                   insurmountable opportunties."
Springfield, Mass
jhalbei@k12.oit.umass.edu                               Pogo