February 24, 2007

Paramount 1000 Questions and Answers is a gem that would add to the beauty of any child’s personal library. Termed as a homework helper for children aged eight and above, this reference book has in it a wealth of knowledge that aid in making children more aware of the world, both in the past and present.

Divided into seven sections — “Stars and Planets”, “Planet Earth”, “Dinosaurs”, “Ancient Civilisations”, “Knights and Castles”, “Inventions and Transport” — each contains numerous chapters related to the topic. After a brief explanation of the topic a few questions and their answers based on the same theme are given. Then there is a “Quick-fire Quiz” in multiple choice format that aids in quick revision of the chapter.

As it is written in a crisp and easy to understand language, children who are old enough to indulge in independent reading will need little parental guidance to understand the book. But as is the case usually, with all informative books for children, this one too will find its way into the hands of adults with a curious bent of mind. The book will also come handy in preparing for quizzes and general knowledge discussions.

Since it is attractively presented with realistic illustrations and photographs, those who just like browsing through books to look at the pictures will find themselves engrossed in it. But being rather large and heavy, this isn’t one of the handiest books to read. The fine art paper and large format of the content are the reasons of the book’s size which could have been a bit smaller.

Despite this little inconvenience, this is a book that is sure to enjoy a long life in the bookshelf.