National Geographic Kids Why?: Over 1,111 Answers to Everything Hardcover – October 13, 2015

Some parents have the goal of instilling a blueprint of their values into their children. This undermines critical thinking because the child is expected to merely regurgitate the narrative, i.e. neither thinking nor questions are required/allowed. How does this develop critical thinking? It doesn’t, in fact it’s in direct opposition to developing this skill at all. As a staunch advocate of free thinking, I think it’s the most important skill a child can be taught because no person escapes navigating the numerous lies (that lead to suffering and failure) everyone encounters throughout their life.“Why” and “Why Not” (I purchased both) are excellent books/tools for nurturing free thinking in children because critical thinking is the prerequisite. Whenever they receive instructions that don’t make sense, i.e. “You ‘can’t’ do that” (when they mean you don’t have permission), they become equipped to question “authority” for justification of said instructions by simply asking why. Whenever they encounter somebody who is merely slamming a well thought out opinion of theirs, they can turn the whole thing around by simply asking “Why Not?” This also develops humility and confidence with all persons involved (assuming they consider fairly).In short, “Why” and “Why Not” are the two most important books in the Children’s Library I’ve created. Lots of pictures, large type and, most important, a fast-track to keeping children from being neither a push-over nor wet-noodle. A huge benefit for the price of two books. Now that’s what I call an excellent deal.BTW: I came across these books the day after my Grandson (4 years old) was asking “Why?” like no tomorrow. I give complete, well thought out and simple answers. So after a couple dozen of these why questions, I was getting tired and thought I’d give him a dose of his own medicine to quell this obsession.So I rapid fired about a dozen questions. He’s not talking/answering the questions, but I notice he’s thinking about the questions. When I stopped, he grinned from ear to ear and said “That was fun! Let play the why game some more.” Realizing my intention backfired, I thought “My God, what have I done?” When I came across the books for the first time the next day I thought “God noticed and took pity on me.” LOL

This is a FABULOUS book! It's great for small to big kids --and even adults. VERY informative and holds SO much information about countless topics. Would be awesome for a home-school family or just anyone who wants to learn how things work or why something is the way it is! Price was good and the book is very sturdy and well-crafted.

This encyclopedia is amazing! My 7 y.o. daughter absolutely loves it and has been reading it nonstop. The pictures are high-quality, and the content is written in a way that’s both fun and easy for kids to understand. She’s now full of fascinating facts—not every adult knows some of the things she’s learned!It’s perfect for curious kids who love to read and enjoy discovering interesting facts about the world. This book has been such a great addition to her library, and I highly recommend it to other parents with little explorers at home!

Great quality and pictures

This is a must-have for any young reader's bookshelf. It combines the best of educational content with visual appeal and engaging storytelling, making it a perfect gift for inquisitive children eager to learn more about the world around them.

My 8 year old grandson is reading a lot lately and he is a very curious child about how things work. National Geographic is well known for their stories and beautiful photography and this book does not disappoint. The chapters are divided into catagories, for example SOLAR SYSTEM is divided into sun, moon, planets, with short facts and photos. I think this book will hold his attention and he will enjoy it for years to come.

This book arrived very quickly and came in a brown box with paper as packing. Thankfully it was placed out of the weather or it may have gotten damaged by the damp weather. I was really impressed with the quality of this book. It has a wide range of facts and is perfect for a young and old curious mind. Has a child ever asked you why about something and you didn't know the answer. This book is a great resource for answers. Also, good for trivia players to brush upon facts.

I bought this book for my 13 year old son for Christmas and it was hit with him and his 2 younger brothers. They couldn’t put it down and these kids love their screen time if that says anything. It’s a hardback book and sturdy. Recommend!