THE CHILDREN'S VISUAL DICTIONARY

Each illustrated spread in this book shows activities grouped under a general heading: ``All about people,'' ``Traveling by air,'' ``Going to school,'' ``Sports,'' ``Mini-beasts,'' ``Food and eating,'' etc. A few sentences appear on a topic, along with a large central full-color photograph (some of which are partially lost in the gutter) and a dozen or more small related photos and illustrations with brief captions. The colorful, oversized format includes hundreds of pictures and, by the editor's count, ``more than 2,500 nouns, verbs, and adjectives.'' Some selections seem of limited use: ``yacht heeling,'' ``furrow press,'' or ``microlite buzzing,'' while others are decidedly British: ``inflatable dinghy,'' or ``cricketer.'' The index gives access to most words, but does not define them. Still, there is a lot to look at, and much that is odd enough to attract young viewers. Fun, not essential. (Nonfiction. 8-10)