New Book Takes Kids on a Giant, Secret Adventure

  
SECRETS OF THE GIANT TOMES REVEALED: Adventures in Your Dictionary, Thesaurus, Atlas, and Almanac

(New York, NY September 2002)-Learning standards in every state require students to master the use of a dictionary, thesaurus, atlas, and almanac. Too often, however, the instruction of reference skills is glossed over in the classroom-an oversight that puts students at a serious disadvantage throughout their academic careers. Kaplan's Secrets of the Giant Tomes Revealed, Elementary and Middle School Editions (October 2002; $12.00 each) are the only books available that use games and humor to teach students the skills necessary to effectively use each of these essential reference tools.

Secrets of the Giant Tomes Revealed features an engaging story about a daring young explorer Tennessee Toledo who is searching for fame and fortune in the Egyptian desert. There are two editions in the series.

Elementary School Edition readers help Tennessee crack secrets, uncover the legends of King Toot and master King Toot's Gauntlet of Giant Tomes, a series of challenges standing between Tennessee and the greatest treasure of all -the pharaoh's field of solid gold french fries.
Middle School Edition readers help Tennessee escape the clutches of the evil mummy Mia Pharaoh, a mummified Egyptian queen buried deep beneath the desert sands. Readers discover Mia Pharaoh's Gantlet of Giant Tomes, a series of challenges standing between Tennessee and the greatest archeological discovery of all time-giant, jewel-encrusted statues of the queen's husbands.
Readers must explore a dictionary, thesaurus, atlas, or almanac to help Tennessee on these quests.

Secrets of the Giant Tomes Revealed features fifty games and activities to help students develop speed, efficiency, and accuracy while helping the adventurer make it to safety. While assisting Tennessee, readers will learn how to:

Use a table of contents, index, and other research aids
Interpret tables of statistics in an almanac
Use a map index and map legend in an atlas
Understand common dictionary abbreviations and features
Find synonyms using the index in a thesaurus
About the Author: Chris Kensler is the author of more than a dozen books, including Kaplan's Word Whiz vocabulary-building series, SAT Verbal Velocity, SAT Math Mania and Study Smart Junior, which received the Parent's Choice Award. He has worked as a book editor, covered a presidential campaign for a national news organization, and edited an arts and culture magazine. He lives in New York State.

Secrets of the Giant Tomes Revealed, Elementary and Middle School Editions are available wherever books are sold.

BOOK INFORMATION

Secrets of the Giant Tomes Revealed, Elementary School Edition
By: Chris Kensler
Kaplan Publishing (Kaplan, Inc. and Simon & Schuster), October 2002
ISBN: 0-7432-3523-1 Price: $12.00

Secrets of the Giant Tomes Revealed, Middle School Edition
By: Chris Kensler
Kaplan Publishing (Kaplan, Inc. and Simon & Schuster), October 2002
ISBN: 0-7432-3524-X Price: $12.00

Author Available for Interview
To schedule an interview with Chris Kensler, please contact Lori Duggan Gold at lori_duggangold@kaplan.com or at 212-492-5903.

Note to Editors: Review copies are available upon request. Please contact Lori DeGeorge at degeorge@kaplan.simonandschuster.com or by phone at 212-698-1272.

About Kaplan Publishing: Kaplan Publishing is a joint venture between Kaplan, Inc. and Simon & Schuster. In 2001, Kaplan publishing introduced 65 new titles on test preparation, admissions, education, parent involvement, career development, and life skills. With Congress' passage of the President's "No Child Left Behind" education package, Kaplan Publishing is well positioned to meet the needs of parents and students seeking state-specific test preparation and parent involvement tools. Kaplan, Inc. is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO.)

Press Contact:

Lori Duggan Gold
lori_duggangold@kaplan.com
212-492-5903 or 212-698-4669

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