National Geographic Visual Encyclopedia of Earth is the definitive guide to our incredible, ever-changing world. This is the single-volume reference every forward-looking library should include, sure to foster the next generation’s sense of connectedness with our world and to inspire the ecologists and scientists of tomorrow.

Written by renowned international authority Michael Allaby, this lively encyclopedia gives kids a rock-solid foundation, reveals the latest research on fragile ecosystems and climate shift, and engages young readers with riveting information, eye-catching illustrations, and, of course, peerless National Geographic photography.

How do twisters form? What makes lightening strike? Why are tropical rain forests the lungs of our planet? Curious kids want to know everything about their planet. They’ll find the answers to their questions here, as they investigate our world from its core to its cosmic connections.

National Geographic Visual Encyclopedia of Earth offers a wealth of comprehensive, easy-to-follow insight into our planet in lively, fun-to-read text.

Michael Allaby is an internationally recognized authority on geography and environmental science, with a special interest in weather and climate. He has written or edited nearly 100 books on topics such as the distribution of plants and animals, as well as dangerous weather. He is editor of the Oxford dictionaries of Earth Sciences, Ecology, Plant Sciences, and Zoology. In 2001 he won the Junior Prize of the Aventis Prizes for Science Books.