Parents, teachers, and librarians consistently rank The World Book Encyclopedia the best general reference source because of its easy-to-use format that students find so appealing. World Book editors present information in a clear, direct style that makes each article readable. Articles start at a relatively basic level and advance in depth as they progress. More than 28,000 rich photographs and illustrations are combined with award-winning text to produce the perfect encyclopedia for students and families. No wonder it has been a staple on home, library, and classroom shelves since the first edition in 1917! The 2004 edition continues this tradition of editorial excellence In it you will find new articles on Persian Gulf War of 2003, Department of Homeland Security, Identity Theft, Handheld Computer, the diseases SARS and West Nile Virus, the sport of Hang Gliding, and the dog breed Toy Fox Terrier. Newly revised articles include China, Bangladesh, Indian Wars, Iraq, Lewis and Clark Expedition, Redwood, Rock Music, Cellular Telephone, Prehistoric People, Alzheimer's Disease. The Yugoslavia article was revised to reflect the name change to Serbia and Montenegro. Nothing can substitute the experience of turning the pages to go from Chicago to China, Jazz to Jefferson, Civil Rights to Civil War, and everything in between. The World Book Encyclopedia is a great reference set, and a source of pure pleasure reading, too. Family members will find themselves browsing through volumes on lazy afternoons. Youngsters and grown-ups alike will make discoveries and find new things to learn! The World Book Encyclopedia is the best, most up-to-date encyclopedia on the market. More than 3,700 expert contributors collaborate with our editors and researchers to make each article the most accurate, comprehensive, and authoritative source to be found. In an industry that typically revises 5% of its pages each year, World Book continues to revise almost 20%, making it the most up-to-date encyclopedia you can buy.