50 Body Questions by
Unbelievable facts about an amazing specimen--YOU! Most of us eat, run, or sleep without thinking about it. But our bodies are masterful machines of intricate design that perform amazing feats daily. The fifth book in Annick's successful 50 Questions series guides readers through the details of how our bodies function, from the miracles of genetics, to immune cells shaped like sea monsters. With her engaging, lucid style, Lloyd Kyi incorporates recent scientific research to explain our body's complex workings. Kids will love fnding the answers to questions such as: * Do blood cells travel single fle? (In our capillaries, blood cells have to squeeze through one at a time.) * How is your spine like a racetrack? (Messages race down the nerves in your spinal cord faster than a NASCAR driver.) * Is your brain like plastic? (Your brain's ability to change is called "plasticity.") * Can your lungs take a hike? (Your lungs and blood vessels adapt to altitude changes.) * Are there aliens inside you? (The invasion of microscopic living organisms started the moment you were born.) You'll discover how people avoided epidemics in ancient Pakistan and why your goldfish can see things you can't. Hilarious illustrations will keep kids laughing as they learn.
Annaleise Carr by
Over eight months worth of planning, hundreds of hours of hard physical training, amassing a team of dedicated crewmates, approaching sponsors and collecting donations -- and finally, swimming for twenty-seven hours across the cold, rough waters of Lake Ontario. Why would a fourteen-year-old girl take on such a challenge? For Annaleise Carr, the motivation came not from a desire for glory. Her ultimate quest was to raise money for her new friends at Camp Trillium, a charity that provides a camping experience for kids with cancer. What kept her going through the cold water, the exhaustion, and the terrifying night swim was the thought of those kids and their families that she was helping. In August of 2012, she became the youngest person to cross Lake Ontario, breaking the record set more than fifty years earlier by Marilyn Bell. Readers will meet an extraordinary fourteen-year-old girl in this book. As she tells her story, it becomes clear how idealism and an intense desire to help others can lead a young teen to almost unimaginable achievements. [Fry reading level - 4.8
The Big Book of Hockey for Kids by
Who are the "Original Six"? What are some of the most historic hockey games? What jobs are available in the hockey industry, other than being an NHL all-star?
This book will answer all your questions, and more! From the first game (with roots in Irish hurling and Scottish shinty) to the billion-dollar industry it is today ― including the evolution of hockey equipment, the Stanley Cup, and every NHL team ― fans will learn the complete A to Z of hockey.
Cat Champions by
Meet young "Cat Champions", kids who are helping domestic and feral cats by volunteering at shelters, fostering kittens, and raising awareness about cats who need help. Learn about the issues facing our feline friends, and be inspired to become a "Cat Champion" yourself. Around the world, young people are making a difference in the lives of cats. In Cat Champions: Caring for our Feline Friends, meet kids who are helping at shelters, fostering kittens, volunteering with sterilization programs, and caring for abandoned cats. Animal advocate Rob Laidlaw brings readers a hopeful, inspiring look at the issues facing domesticated and feral cats, and the "Cat Champions" who are working to help them. Informational sidebars throughout the book describe issues facing cats ("The Cat's Out of the Bag") as well as good-news feline facts ("The Cat's Meow"). Filled with color photographs and real-life stories, Cat Champions will inspire and empower readers of all ages.
Every Last Drop by
In the developed world, if you want a drink of water you just turn on a tap or open a bottle. But for millions of families worldwide, finding clean water is a daily challenge, and kids are often the ones responsible for carrying water to their homes. Every Last Droplooks at why the world's water resources are at risk and how communities around the world are finding innovative ways to quench their thirst and water their crops. Maybe you're not ready to drink fog, as they do in Chile, or use water made from treated sewage, but you can get a low-flush toilet, plant a tree, protect a wetland or just take shorter showers. Every last drop counts!
The Extraordinary Life of Anna Swan by
On a balmy August morning in 1846, a child was born to Ann and Alexander Swan in the couple’s small wood cabin in Millbrook, Colchester County, Nova Scotia. This in itself was not odd, as home was where babies where most often born in the mid 19th century. What was surprising, however, was that Anna Swan weighed an amazing 6 kilograms (13 pounds) –almost twice the size of an average newborn.
Anna Swan grew to an astonishing size –nearly 2.5 meters (almost 8 feet) tall. She was billed as “The Nova Scotia Giant Girl” at P.T. Barnum’s American Museum in New York. But despite her unusual and challenging physical attributes, she rose above adversity and led the life of love, happiness and great accomplishments. This is her remarkable story.
From Vimy to Victory : Canada's Fight to the Finish of World War I by
After their triumph at Vimy Ridge, Canada's soldiers became the shock troops of the British army. In one battle after another, they led the way to victory through ferocious gunfire, poison gas and exploding artillery shells. Their sacrifice cost a young country dearly, yet from this trial by fire a new Canada was forged. -- from back cover.
Forest of Reading 2015 nominee.
Silver Birch Non-Fiction award nominee 2015.
A History of Just about Everything by
This fascinating, chronological ?walk through history? offers a unique perspective by providing context and connections ?to show how we are all part of, and linked to, the past, the present and the future.' From the first appearance of humans six million years ago up to the modern day, 180 extensively researched and fact-checked entries describe world-changing events and people through time. The topics covered include scientific discoveries; revolutions (political, industrial and scientific); natural and human-made disasters; important books, plays and art; and the people behind it all. Fully illustrated and written in an engaging, accessible, quick-moving style, the entries capture the essence of what makes each subject noteworthy and why it mattered at the time as well as today. ?Learning about history makes you realize that what happens in one place and time can spill over to another,? the authors write. ?Each event creates a ripple effect. Sometimes we don't know what the ripple will be till years later.' They flesh out this cause-and-effect concept in numerous cross-references to other related entries in the book, and in special ?Ripples? boxes that further explore the future impacts of the event. Besides the table of contents, which can function also as a time line, the book contains a separate at-a-glance time line broken down by subject, a particularly helpful resource for social studies lessons, and an extensive index. This essential, thorough, one-stop history sourcebook is sure to find continuous use in the classroom or library.
It's a Feudal, Feudal World by
Enter a medieval world unlike any you've seen before. Welcome to an innovative and reader-friendly approach to medieval history, one that combines visually appealing infographics, whimsical cartoons and lively, informative text. Each spread offers a snapshot that highlights an aspect of the diversity and intercultural dynamics of the medieval world, from Europe to the Byzantine, Ottoman and Islamic empires. Readers get the inside scoop on crusaders and caliphs, Mongols and midwives, as they read about expanding trade routes, power shifts, conquests, adventure, and persecutions. From the daily life of the medieval child to Rabban bar Sauma's extraordinary pilgrimage, the result is a colorful and varied picture of what life was like a thousand years ago. For example, did you know: * 5% of babies in English peasants' homes died from pig bites? * what medieval workers did for a living? * you could buy a Turkish horse for 455 cartloads of dung? * the best way to stop the unstoppable knight? * A Viking longship is the length of two of today's school buses? * who was most likely to die from the Black Death? * how Rome and Constantinople rose and fell? Shapiro's meticulous research is brought to life by Ross Kinnaird's historically based, humorous, illustrations. Who would imagine medieval history could be this much fun!
Zoobots by
Innovations in the world of robotics are multiplying, with many cutting-edge breakthroughs, and this exciting and timely new book for young readers explores one particularly intriguing area: the world of robo-animals, or zoobots. In an attempt to design robots that can solve problems or perform tasks that humans can't, or just can't do easily, roboticists have been looking at the unique skills some animals have. Using something called mechatronics --- mechanical and electrical engineering combined with computer science --- they are finding ways to closely mirror those skills in robot form. Some fascinating examples from the book of what zoobots can do include: finding survivors of a fire using sensitive, computerized ?whiskers?; scaling skyscraper walls using super stickiness; or delivering drugs deep within the human body using microscopic whiptails for locomotion. Twelve zoobots are described, each on its own two-page spread. Award-winning children's author Helaine Becker's text is comprehensive, yet clear and lively, and is made more manageable by being broken up into shorter segments. The futuristic design of the book includes vivid, detailed color illustrations by Alex Ries, of both the zoobot prototypes as well as the animals from which their skills were derived. This imaginative and interesting nonfiction book will definitely capture the imaginations of technology buffs. It also has enormous potential for classroom use in exploring everything from basic technology and robots, to engineering concepts, to inventions. A glossary and an index make it work well as a wonderful reference tool.
Annaleise Carr by
Over eight months worth of planning, hundreds of hours of hard physical training, amassing a team of dedicated crewmates, approaching sponsors and collecting donations -- and finally, swimming for twenty-seven hours across the cold, rough waters of Lake Ontario. Why would a fourteen-year-old girl take on such a challenge? For Annaleise Carr, the motivation came not from a desire for glory. Her ultimate quest was to raise money for her new friends at Camp Trillium, a charity that provides a camping experience for kids with cancer. What kept her going through the cold water, the exhaustion, and the terrifying night swim was the thought of those kids and their families that she was helping. In August of 2012, she became the youngest person to cross Lake Ontario, breaking the record set more than fifty years earlier by Marilyn Bell. Readers will meet an extraordinary fourteen-year-old girl in this book. As she tells her story, it becomes clear how idealism and an intense desire to help others can lead a young teen to almost unimaginable achievements. [Fry reading level - 4.8