Showing posts with label Klutz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Klutz. Show all posts

Friday, October 31, 2008

Book Review: The Encyclopedia of Immaturity: How to Never Grow Up - The Complete Guide, by the editors of Klutz

In addition to today's date being Halloween, it is also National Knock-Knock Jokes Day. So to celebrate, let's start with an appropriate quote from today's review topic: The Encyclopedia of Immaturity: How to Never Grow Up - The Complete Guide. It's on page 16:



There are 1,264,112 knock-knock jokes in the world. Only one of them is funny. Here it is.

Knock knock.
Who's there?
Interrupting Cow.
Inter...
MOO!

Summary:
Klutz books are known for their crazy fun factor, and The Encyclopedia of Immaturity is no exception. This title does not come with the "tools of the trade" that most Klutz books do, because there are just so many activities jammed inside. However, most items needed for the various activities are common things that can be found at home.

The reader can find a wealth of information right at their fingertips about how to do all kinds of stuff: from pranks to experiments to magic tricks to brain teasers. Some are fun, some are gross, some are wildly funny, but all are safe and designed so that no one gets hurt. There are illustrated instructions for how to ride a unicycle. There are verses to gross but funny songs. You can find instructions for making a soda gusher. And, just in time for Halloween, you can read all about how to "Carve a Barfkin!"

The illustrations and photographs are bright, colorful, and as informative as the text. Definitely aimed at kids, but also at the kid hiding inside adults out there. Both will have a blast not only reading this book, but trying out the tons of activities packed inside.

For Teachers and Librarians:
OK, I know what you're thinking. And yes, a lot of things in The Encyclopedia of Immaturity are just plain silly, and even rather gross. But, it also has science experiments (like the soda gusher), and physics puzzlers (like a scaled-down version of the ol' tablecloth snatch), brain teasers (like the "puzzla"), interesting facts about things in our world, phys. ed. (like how to throw a frisbee, and how to ride a unicycle), and math (like an article on how to predict your adult height). It may take some picking and choosing on your part, but the perusal will be well worth it for those times when you need a fun little something to get them out of their "blah's" and back into learning.

For Parents, Grandparents and Caregivers:
Totally fun for your kiddos, The Encyclopedia of Immaturity will have them giggling, learning, and most of all having fun. It's broken into super short articles that are easily read, and any instructions are simple to follow, making the activities, pranks, experiments and informative articles that much more enjoyable. The best part is, you can join in the fun. Admittedly, sometimes you will be an unwitting participant and the joke will be on you, but nothing mean-spirited or dangerous. Just a riot of a good time full of silliness, and even learning (but if you don't tell them that last part, they won't even realize it).

For the Kids:
So, you saw the word "Klutz" on the cover. And you know that means "fun." And when you read The Encyclopedia of Immaturity, you will see that fun is exactly what you get. You can find out how to make an air-puff annoyer to bug someone clear across the room from you. You can make a "Vege-proof tongue cover" for those days when your mom tries to feed you brussels sprouts. Or, how about learning how to kick a toilet plunger field goal? (Yeah, your mom will love that one.) You can even learn how to say "poop" in other languages. How many people can do that? Well, you could, if you read this book. I promise, it will be totally fun, and you will be so glad you did!

For Everyone Else:
If you've got the sense of humor of a kid, you will have a great time reading The Encyclopedia of Immaturity. If you know someone with the sense of humor of a kid, you have an instant gift idea. If you are neither of those, some of the articles in this book will bring back childhood memories. (Sing it with me: "Great green gobs of greasy grimy gopher guts...") If you're a parent of a kid, you might cringe at some of the things they try out after they read it, but come on, even you will have to laugh at the things they do.

Wrapping Up:
The Encyclopedia of Immaturity is chock full of fun - a great book to pull out on a rainy day, a boring day, an I've-got-the-blah's day, or even a why-the-heck-not day. Go ahead, you know you want to...

Title: The Encyclopedia of Immaturity: How to Never Grow Up - The Complete Guide
Authors/Illustrators: The Editors of Klutz
Pages: 412
Reading Level: Ages 8+
Publisher and Date: Klutz, a subsidiary of Scholastic Inc.
Edition: School Market Edition
Language: English
Published In: United States
Price: $19.95
ISBN-10: 1591745438
ISBN-13: 978-1591745433


Author Spotlight: The Editors of Klutz

Klutz was founded by three friends from Stanford University who started out selling sidewalk juggling lessons with three no-bounce beanbags. They earned $35 that first day, and soon decided to start a company to sell their own how-to book on the topic. 

So, they divvied up the responsibilities and got to work: John Cassidy was the creative force, Darrell Lorentzen wrote their first business plan, and B.C. Rimbeaux was tasked with securing their initial bank loan. The company was incorporated in 1977 in Palo Alto, California, and their first 3,000 books were delivered via bike and backpack. 

Of their entrepreneurial endeavor, Cassidy says:
"It really was a failed scam. Our dream was to do a book on juggling, sell a bazillion in a couple of days, buy an island and retire. It didn't work out. After a year of steady, unspectacular sales, we found ourselves staring down the barrel of a career."

Today, Klutz books are regulars on the US book and toy bestseller lists, and are available in 24 countries worldwide. Their first book, Juggling for the Complete Klutz, is their most popular title, having sold more than 2.5 million copies. Though their early books were aimed at the college crowd, the company morphed into publishing for children after John Cassidy's children came into the picture.

Packaged with the necessary "tools of the trade," Klutz books are designed "for doing, not just reading." Their products have expanded to include toys, kits, buckets, guides and even an educational product line.

Klutz was acquired by Scholastic in 2002. John Cassidy remains CEO and Klutz's creative force. And their mission statement?

Create wonderful things, be good, have fun.

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**Photo Credit: Peter Fox, Klutz (Originally posted at USAToday.com article listed below in Sources)