Saturday, September 22, 2007

101 Things You Need to Know...and Some Things You Don't by Richar and Tracey Turner

Have you ever wondered why we dream? Or maybe why cockroaches can live for weeks without its head? These are just 2 of the 101 things you need to know (and some you don’t) in this book. Every single entry in this book is true, and will mostly be liked by younger kids. This book is very interactive, and there is a “form” to fill in after each of the 101 things discussed in this book. If you complete a form, you can take a star sticker from the back of the book, and put it on that page! A very colorful book, each page asks a question, which is answered in a few brief paragraphs below. The questions touch many different subjects and ideas, and therefore, you are bound to come across interesting facts you have never heard about before. Amaze your friends! Quiz your parents! Most importantly, have fun!

Even though there are many amusing items I had no idea about before, I believe that the authors did not target the older audience. Throughout this book, the mood of the book seemed to be appropriate for kids from 10-12. It is a bit complicated for most people younger and too relaxed for those that are older. The forms make the book very interactive. Even though I did not complete the forms, it would take much longer to complete it than to read the short paragraph descriptions right beside it. Therefore, in my opinion, the balance in this book is questioned. Furthermore, the facts are presented in random page numbers even though they are categorized, which makes the flow of this book more complicated to grasp. All and all, this book is colorful, interactive, and fun. It gets the general ideas across, which you can use to amuse and quiz your friends and families.

Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7

Reviewer Age: 13
Reviewer City, State and Country: Urbana, IL USA