National Geographic Kids Almanac 2023 by National Geographic

What worked:

As you should expect from an almanac, this book is crammed full of interesting facts and information about a wide range of topics. The contents seem random when flipping through the pages but similar things are grouped together by chapters. Some groupings have unique themes such as “Kids vs. Plastics” (including how it affects sea turtles), “Fun and Games” (with a Critter Chat and Mad-lib-like story), and “20 Things to Make You Happy” (such as meditation and pets). More common themes share stories about science, history, culture, and space that target the interests of young readers. The colorful photographs and illustrations are sure to catch the eye of everyone. In addition to being informative, some pictures are highly amusing and surprising.

A table of contents and a comprehensive index help make the information more accessible but readers can still find unexpected topics throughout the pages. A section on animals includes comparing giraffes to ninjas and it shows a variety of frogs with very unique characteristics. Who would expect to find the history of chocolate within pages dedicated to cultures? The section on science and technology shows pages about “The Science of Spooky” and future homes and food. A large section on geography near the end of the book covers the seven continents and includes flags, uncommon facts, maps, and a page about how maps are made by cartographers. I enjoy the “Quiz Whiz” presented in each chapter covering information shared within those pages. These multiple-choice questions can be treated as little puzzles to be solved with their answers found at the bottom of the pages.

What didn’t work as well:

The amount of information can be overwhelming for young readers and it’s not as easy to find as in adult almanacs. On the bright side, the visual appeal and variety of information can be very entertaining for people wanting a book for casual non-fiction reading.

The Final Verdict:

An engaging resource for young readers. Interesting information is shared in short narratives accompanied by eye-catching graphics and is highly informative and easily read. Common facts are blended with entertaining anecdotes and will delight middle-graders. I recommend you give this book a shot.