With the 2012 edition of its interactive science library, Encyclopaedia Britannica has created a six-volume set of books, rich with illustrations, which encourages and satisfies a child’s natural curiosity about the world around him. Although the book’s topics — Humans; Space; Earth; Dinosaurs, Reptiles, and Birds; Animals; and Under the Sea — correlate to the science curriculum in grades 5 to 8, children as young as 5 years old are captivated by the books and its SD-X Interactive Reader, a wand that adds an audio component when the child touches pictures, words, or buttons. The SD-X reader can define words as well as reinforce retention of the material with several games, including “look and find.” The set also includes two interactive posters (featuring the solar system and the animal kingdom) and a six-month membership to Britannica Online.
Encyclopaedia Britannica Interactive Science Library, $79.95, www.amazon.com.
