Knowledge Factory

From Millbrook's Copper Beech imprint come two fact-filled books designed especially for browsers. The Knowledge Factory: A Lot of Facts About a Lot of Things contains all kinds of information (e.g., how gears work, the location of a snake's heart, the parts of a tank, the types of clouds). Suggested activities include tips on how to make an hourglass, an astronaut's helmet, a periscope, etc. Each topic receives an illustrated double-page spread; the order is deliberately random, but goal-oriented readers have recourse to a full index. ($24.95 368p ages 10-up ISBN 0-7613-0520-3; Sept.)