interactive page formatBR-- a readable and attractive typefaceBR-- large, bold, and brilliant full-color photographsPThe True Books series takes the young reader beyond the standard, fact-filled text by adding avenues for further discovery. Each book includes a variety of sidebars, highlighting extra facts that will fascinate children. In the Important Words section, young readers will find a glossary of words that will both challenge and expand their vocabulary. Each book includes a To Find Out More section, where every curious reader can find a list of related books to read and organizations to contact.PTrue Books also point readers to the vast electronic universe of information on the Internet. Each book will list: BR-- e-mail addresses to help the reader contact individuals and organizationsBR-- appropriate newsgroups and mailing listsBR-- FTP sites to download fun and useful softwarePBegun in the 1950s, True Books are universally embraced as the definitive nonfiction series for young readers. Now in its third incarnation, the True Books series has once again evolved to meet the needs and tastes of modern readers and educators.  (less)

A Harvard historian, Nancy Koehn, expects that Web stores will outsellbrmail-order catalogs within three years.brbrbrWhy do people shop the Web?brbrRecent surveys show we're all getting cozy with the concept. Consider that:brbrYou can shop after-hours. A lot of people do. The latest figures frombrAmerica Online, for instance, reveal that 40% of electronic shopping takesbrplace between 10 p.m. and 10 a.m., when most physical stores are closed.brYou don't have to venture out of your cocoon to buy.brYou save time. You can browse a half-dozen virtual stores in less timebrthan it takes to park at a busy mall on a weekend.brYou save headaches and foot pain. No sweat. You can shop in yourbrpajamas, and you don't have to carry any packages down the miles of mallbrcorridors, and across the hundred-acre parking lot. Services like FedEx andbrUPS bring your goodies to your door within a day or two.brYour neighbors are doing it, too. Forty-eight million of us use the Webbrregularly now according to New CommerceNet/Nielsen Media Research, whichbrclaims that repeat Web shoppers have reached a critical mass, at which theybrbegin to influence each other.brEven grandparents are getting into the habit, when shopping for theirbrgrandchildren (10% of grandparents who browse for toys and kids' softwarebrmake a purchase--a phenomenal percentage for a group normally thought to bebraverse to computers).brBooks, flowers, clothing, beverages, travel, and autos are the categoriesbrpulling people beyond the original focus, which was computer equipment andbrsoftware. The mix of shopping is beginning to approximate the discretionarybrspending patterns of the population as a whol@Â? (õÃÿ¾Û€  (less)

- and doesn't alienate - adults. That said, what is good design for children? What criteria does a designer follow in creating products that will appeal to kids without compromising on quality or aesthetics? Steven Heller and Steven Guarnaccia address these and many other related questions in Designing for Children, the first and only book devoted to an increasingly important subject. Heller and Guarnaccia analyze and celebrate recent advances in child-oriented design and show examples of new work that represent the growing sophistication in this arena. The authors look at hundreds of case studies in which graphics play a major role, specifically in the realms of television, video, and radio; museums and environments; novelties and gifts; toys and games; newspapers and magazines; computers and electronics; theater and performances; and books and posters. Packaging and promotional materials for the various products and activities are also discussed. In response to the burgeoning children's market, clients like Sony, Nickelodeon, Esprit/Kids, Hasbro, Stride Rite, Levi Strauss, Hallmark, Pentech, The Nature Company, Mattel, Milton Bradley, Broderbund, and numerous publishers are increasingly employing the talents of innovative designers with an eye toward reaching a young audience. Today among their ranks are such well-known and highly respected graphic artists as Seymour Chwast, Maira Kalman, April Greiman, Paula Scher, and RichardMcGuire, many of whose designs for children are featured here. Designing for Children is an important book for designers of all kinds, but it's also of interest to parents seeking well-made, thoughtfully designed alternatives to standard mass-market toys, books, and other childhood fare for @…¸Që…ÿ¾Û€  (less)