And you thought Brazil was in Africa.

• Position: WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide - The World Almanac for Kids 2007 - Yo! I Know, Brain-Building Quizzes

You hear it all the time: today's education system is failing our youth. Foreign countries are overtaking us in the key areas of math and science; high school graduates are reading at a sixth-grade level, if they're lucky; and knowledge of U.S.--no less world--geography is at an all-time low. And that is only the tip of the iceberg. Of course, there's no one solution to the crisis, but a good place to start is by supplying your offspring with the gift of knowledge in the form of The World Almanac for Kids 2007, and its sister publication, Yo! I Know, Brain-Building Quizzes.

With 3,500,000 copies in print, The World Almanac for Kids must be doing something right, and the latest edition boasts new sections on magic, volunteering, and technology--plus more "On-the-Job" interviews. There are science experiments, homework help tips, a Sudoku puzzle, and games. Kids will be up-to-date on all things "Hurricane" with a Disaster section that includes Facts About Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Names, records, and the science of tornadoes. It's even possible to meet a meteorologist from New Orleans in the "On-the-Job" interview section.

The ever-popular "Faces and Places" chapter is populated with action photos of top athletes from professional sports and the Olympics, plus mini-posters of standouts like the NBA's LeBron James. Also featured are screen and stage celebrities (Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon, music sensation the Black-Eyed Peas, and key cast members from "High School Musical") and significant events from the news (the swearing in of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito and the funeral of Civil Rights icon Rosa Parks).

This almanac also knows how to be funny and smart, as it contains...