Kids Belong on the Net, They Just Need a Guide

Osborne/McGraw-Hill's 'Internet Kids & Family Yellow Pages' Makes the Net Kid-Safe and Fun for Families

Source for
Product News

Forums

Related Articles

Product News highlights new products of interest to our readers. These are not product endorsements, nor are they paid advertisements.

Information and news releases furnished by the members of PR Newswire, who are responsible for their fact and content.

BERKELEY, Calif., June 24, 1997 -- Osborne/McGraw-Hill and author Jean Armour Polly have teamed up again to prove that the Internet is not the enemy and that it can be safely explored with "The Internet Kids & Family Yellow Pages, Second Edition" (June 1997, $19.99), an updated and expanded version of the original and best-selling "Internet Kids Yellow Pages."

Created specifically with parents and children in mind, "The Internet Kids & Family Yellow Pages, Second Edition" is a comprehensive yet friendly guide brimming with over 3,000 quality kid-safe listings, plus a new Parenting and Families section, and many unique features to help families, libraries, and schools plan fun and rewarding Internet outings.

Known as Net-Mom(TM) by cyberkids everywhere, Polly's unique background as a public librarian, children's Internet expert, and mother makes her the perfect Internet tour guide for kids and families. By capturing so many valuable and child-friendly alternatives, her new book derails the problem of children being exposed to violence and other adult content on the Internet. "It's important to remember that the Internet is not the enemy," said Polly. "The Net is only the transport method, just like the telephone system. What needs to be filtered out are the places you can 'call.'"

Polly and her research team of professional librarians, teachers, and Internet specialists carefully hand-selected only the best, safest, and most appropriate listings for family use. All of the listings are organized by subject category in an easy-to-use, alphabetical directory and include detailed site descriptions and personal recommendations. Kids of all ages can now safely access thousands of fun and educational web sites on their favorite topics such as Books and Literature, Comics and Cartoons, Endangered and Extinct Species, Pets and Pet Care, Music and Musicians, Sports, and more.

"The Internet Kids & Family Yellow Pages, Second Edition" offers many new features that can make an hour on the Internet as educational as a day in the classroom, or as fun as a day at the beach. The features include:

• An expanded introductory tutorial for parents.
  
  
• "Special Don't-Miss Hotlists" which highlight the top 10 web resources for topics such as Preschoolers and Homework Help.
  
  
• "Postcards from the Net" interviews with webmasters that give a behind-the-scenes look at the spectacular sites listed in the book.
  
  
• "Countries of the World" section that explores governments, embassies, and travel agencies worldwide.
  
  
• "Parenting and Families" listings from adoption to homeschooling that are easily accessible in an appendix, plus answers to parents' commonly asked questions.
  
  
• Real life success stories from teachers, parents, and kids who have benefited from the book.
  
  
• More fun and interesting web sites for kids, from Art to Zoos.
  
  

The second edition also expands on a popular element from the "Internet Kids Yellow Pages" with a new generation of "Net Files" interesting trivia questions and answers that pepper each chapter and lead kids on exploratory online field trips.

"Jean's new book is the one and only Internet guide to date that combines the fun and challenging features that kids love with the useful reference information that parents need," said Carla Bayha, computer book buyer for Borders Bookstores. "Families couldn't ask for a more thoughtful, clear, and enjoyable way to explore the Internet."

Scott Rogers, Osborne/McGraw-Hill's editor-in-chief, added, "The Internet Kids & Family Yellow Pages, Second Edition is a gold mine of great web sites for kids and paves a fun, educational, and safe road through the Internet. By expanding on the success of her first book, Jean has encouraged families to use the Internet as a positive resource."

"The Internet Kids & Family Yellow Pages, Second Edition," is softcover, 576 pages. Suggested retail price: $19.99. ISBN: 0-07-882340-4. For orders only, phone 800-262-4729. More information can be found at Osborne's website: http://www.osborne.com.

Author

Jean Armour Polly is an internationally recognized expert on the Internet from a user's point of view. She wrote the original "Surfing the Internet" in 1992, which coined the popular phrase, and was one of the first two women elected to the Internet Society Board of Trustees. Known throughout the Internet industry as Net-Mom(TM), she is currently an author, consultant, researcher, and speaker, and cohosts a weekly call-in radio show called "The On-Ramp." Polly is cofounder of PUBLIB, the oldest and largest Internet discussion list for public librarians, and was a public librarian herself for 16 years. She is the former Director of Public Services and Internet Ambassador at NYSERNet, Inc. Polly resides in central New York with her husband and 11-year-old son. More information about the author is available at her home page: http://www.netmom.com/.

Background Information

Osborne/McGraw-Hill, headquartered in Berkeley, California, is a leading publisher of computer books that include user and reference guides for people at all levels of computer and software proficiency. Known for its best-selling Internet titles "The Internet Yellow Pages" and "The Internet Complete Reference" -- as well as its Busy People(TM) and Oracle Press(TM) series, Osborne/McGraw-Hill also has established strategic publishing relationships with Oracle Corporation, Corel Corporation, AT&T, America Online, Inc., Stream International, and several well-known McGraw-Hill magazines including LAN Times and BYTE. A division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), Osborne/McGraw-Hill is targeting consumer support, emerging technologies, and innovative applications for developing future computer books.

CONTACT: Caroline Keller, 510-549-6614, or fax, 510-549-6603, or caroline_keller@mcgraw-hill.com, or Daniella Dell'Orco, 510-549-6654, or dellorco@mcgraw-hill.com, both of Osborne/McGraw-Hill