View source for National Geographic Kids Infopedia 2016

{{infobox2
|title=National Geographic Kids Infopedia 2016
|author=National Geographic
|reviewer=Louise Jones
|genre=Reference
|summary=An engaging compilation of science, history and geography facts and figures, written especially for kids.
|rating=4.5
|buy=yes
|borrow=yes
|pages=352
|publisher=National Geographic Kids
|date=May 2015
|isbn=9781426322440
|website=http://www.kids.nationalgeographic.com
|aznuk=1426322445
|aznus=1426322445
|cover=1426322445
}}     

Annuals. They are not what they used to be. As a child, I remember snuggling into a chair with my 1983 ''Crackerjack'' annual and being completely immersed by the facts, stories, jokes and activities inside. Maybe I'm getting old, but many of today's annuals seem to be little more than a few flimsy sheets of colouring paper and posters sandwiched inside a hardcover. If, as a parent, you are aching to buy your children something with a little more substance and quality, then the ''National Geographic Infopedia 2016'' may be just what you are looking for.

With a softcover and a whopping 352 pages, the infopedia seems to resemble a chunky catalogue rather than a typical annual. But as you may expect from National Geographic, the quality is extremely high and each page is full of interesting stories and activities to engage the eyes and mind. The images, of course, are stunning, especially the wildlife pictures; the gorgeous baby gorilla on the cover a cheeky taster of the visual feast inside.

The book is divided into sections, including geography, nature, history and science. There is also a fun and games section with quizzes, games and comic strips. Each subject is presented in an engaging way, with colourful fonts, fact boxes and bold images to compliment the text.

This is the perfect book to dip in and out of and has something for everyone. It's informative without coming across as too academic and presents world issues without being preachy. It also has a link to some extra digital content via the National Geographic website. As a home educator, I have found the book extremely useful for constructing lesson plans on a variety of subjects.

The only slight negative I have about the book is the fact that it is written in American English, so young British readers may get confused at substitutions like ''tire'' instead of ''tyre'' and ''gas'' instead of ''petrol''. It would have been nice to have had an edit specifically for the UK market.

The ''Infopedia'' is an absorbing read and reminds me of how good annuals used to be when I was a child. In fact, I would go so far as to say that this one is even better, and will be a book that children return to again and again. Many thanks to the publishers for my review copy.

Can't get enough facts and figures? Try the [[Top 10 of Everything 2015 by Paul Terry]]. You might also enjoy [[Everything Space (National Geographic Kids Everything) by Helaine Becker and Brendan Mullan]].

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[[Category:Children's Non-Fiction]]