Communication: From Hieroglyphs to Hyperlinks (Kingfisher Knowledge) [Hardcover]

Richard Platt (Author), Jonathan S. Adelstein (Foreword)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Kingfisher Knowledge

Communication explores the technologies that we use to share information and "talk" to one another, from the alphabet to television and the Internet. Learn about significant moments in communication history, such as the invention of the telephone and the origins of the World Wide Web. Discover how photography saves lives, how radio waves are used in space travel, and how communication is used during times of war.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Reviewed with Trevor Barnes' Archaeology.

Gr. 4-6. Combining high-interest topics with colorful, eye-catching graphics, these sweeping surveys in the Kingfisher Knowledge series are tailor-made for hooking middle-graders, casual browsers, and reluctant older readers. In Archaeology, Barnes talks up the excitement of hands-on study of the past in a whirlwind tour of renowned finds, from Catal Huyuk to Great Zimbabwe. Platt offers quick looks at communications media, from bee dances to DVDs, before closing with vague comments on the perils of censorship and advertising. In both volumes, text blocks and big color photos or reconstructed scenes occupy roughly equal space on topical spreads, which are grouped into chapters, each of which concludes with a terse chapter summary plus sparse assortments of book citations, URLs, and brief definitions of relevant careers. Despite a predictable skimpiness of detail, plus a few factual errors (the screw in an image of Gutenberg's press is threaded the wrong way), these make potentially popular, if not quite essential, additions. John Peters
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Richard Platt is the author of more than fifty books for children. He is the author of Eureka! which was chosen as a 2004 Outstanding Science Trade Book by the CBC and NSTA.

Jonathan S. Adelstein now serves on the Federal Communications Commission and is a former history teacher and senior Legislative Aide for U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 63 pages
• Publisher: Kingfisher (June 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0753457695
• ISBN-13: 978-0753457696
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,483,430 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Richard Platt has been writing for children since 1992. One of his books, Castle Diary, was shortlisted for the Kate Maschler Award, The Times Education Supplement award, and a History Today prize. His Pirate Diary won the Kate Greenaway Medal 2002, the Silver Smarties Award 2002, and won the 'Best Book With Facts' prize in the Blue Peter Book Awards 2003.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Book!, January 13, 2006

By 

Lynn Ellingwood "The ESOL Teacher" (Webster, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Communication: From Hieroglyphs to Hyperlinks (Kingfisher Knowledge) (Hardcover)

I liked the book but also found it a bit short on information. Kids will love the photos but it could have been made more interesting.

3.0 out of 5 stars A good browse but short on information, May 26, 2005

By 

Mindy (St. Paul, MN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Communication: From Hieroglyphs to Hyperlinks (Kingfisher Knowledge) (Hardcover)

This brightly colored overview of communication that takes students from the beginning of language to the Internet is great for browsers. Each spread has several photographs with captions containing curious facts. The easy-to-read text is blocked in chunks making it easy to pick and choose what you want to read. Each chapter ends with a comparably bland page with a summary and a box with hyperlinks, career directions, and places to visit, easily skippable. The book contains a note at the beginning saying that they cannot guarantee the stability of the links, but the instability of the Internet is not addressed in the book, which is just one example of the areas left untouched by this book. There isn't really enough information in this book for anything more than casual browsing. Kids in grades 4 through 6 will like the references to Harry Potter and other trivia, but this is no DK book, just an imitation.

4.0 out of 5 stars how do you communicate?, January 7, 2005

By 

Melissa Sack (georgia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Communication: From Hieroglyphs to Hyperlinks (Kingfisher Knowledge) (Hardcover)

Communication is very important in today's world. Have you ever thought about how it started? This book teaches us all about the various forms of communication. Starting with animal communication, taking us through alphabets, letters all the way to the internet! Lots of great information is packed into this book!


I liked the fact that at the end of each chapter has a section called Go Further. This section features vocabulary words, websites, and booklists that kids can look for to learn more.

This is a great book for kids ages 8-11 interested in animals of all types. They will enjoy the mix of pictures and useful information. The book would even make a great resource for report writing