- Table View
- List View
The Humane Economy: How Innovators and Enlightened Consumers Are Transforming the Lives of Animals
by Wayne PacelleA major new exploration of the economics of animal exploitation and a practical roadmap for how we can use the marketplace to promote the welfare of all living creatures, from the renowned animal-rights advocate Wayne Pacelle, President/CEO of the Humane Society of the United States and New York Times bestselling author of The Bond.In the mid-nineteenth century, New Bedford, Massachusetts was the whaling capital of the world. A half-gallon of sperm oil cost approximately $1,400 in today's dollars, and whale populations were hunted to near extinction for profit. But with the advent of fossil fuels, the whaling industry collapsed, and today, the area around New Bedford is instead known as one of the best places in the world for whale watching.This transformation is emblematic of a new sort of economic revolution, one that has the power to transform the future of animal welfare. In The Humane Economy, Wayne Pacelle, President/CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, explores how our everyday economic decisions impact the survival and wellbeing of animals, and how we can make choices that better support them. Though most of us have never harpooned a sea creature, clubbed a seal, or killed an animal for profit, we are all part of an interconnected web that has a tremendous impact on animal welfare, and the decisions we make--whether supporting local, not industrial, farming; adopting a rescue dog or a shelter animal instead of one from a "puppy mill"; avoiding products that compromise the habitat of wild species; or even seeing Cirque du Soleil instead of Ringling Brothers--do matter. The Humane Economy shows us how what we do everyday as consumers can benefit animals, the environment, and human society, and why these decisions can make economic sense as well.
Horses: Revised Edition
by Seymour SimonFrom award-winning science writer Seymour Simon comes a completely revised and updated edition of Horses, with brand-new full-color photographs. This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 6 to 8. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children.Readers will learn how horses came to be domesticated, how to distinguish different breeds, the important roles horses have served throughout history, and more. From stallions and mares and Clydesdales to Palominos, this is sure to be a hit with horse lovers and animal lovers everywhere!This updated edition includes:• author’s note• stunning full-color photographs• glossary• index• additional reading sourcesSupports the Common Core Learning Standards, Next Generation Science Standards and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) standards.
The Weather Machine: A Journey Inside the Forecast
by Andrew BlumFrom the acclaimed author of Tubes, a lively and surprising tour of the infrastructure behind the weather forecast, the people who built it, and what it reveals about our climate and our planetThe weather is the foundation of our daily lives. It’s a staple of small talk, the app on our smartphones, and often the first thing we check each morning. Yet behind these quotidian interactions is one of the most expansive machines human beings have ever constructed—a triumph of science, technology and global cooperation. But what is this ‘weather machine’ and who created it? In The Weather Machine, Andrew Blum takes readers on a fascinating journey through an everyday miracle. In a quest to understand how the forecast works, he visits old weather stations and watches new satellites blast off. He follows the dogged efforts of scientists to create a supercomputer model of the atmosphere and traces the surprising history of the algorithms that power their work. He discovers that we have quietly entered a golden age of meteorology—our tools allow us to predict weather more accurately than ever, and yet we haven’t learned to trust them, nor can we guarantee the fragile international alliances that allow our modern weather machine to exist.Written with the sharp wit and infectious curiosity Andrew Blum is known for, The Weather Machine pulls back the curtain on a universal part of our everyday lives, illuminating our relationships with technology, the planet, and the global community.
The Cities That Built the Bible
by Robert R. CargillFor many, the names Bethlehem, Babylon, and Jerusalem are known as the setting for epic stories from the Bible featuring rustic mangers, soaring towers, and wooden crosses. What often gets missed is that these cities are far more than just the setting for the Bible and its characters—they were instrumental to the creation of the Bible as we know it today.Robert Cargill, Assistant Professor of Classics and Religious Studies at the University of Iowa, is an archeologist, Bible scholar, and host of numerous television documentaries, such as the History Channel series Bible Secrets Revealed. Taking us behind-the-scenes of the Bible, Cargill blends archaeology, biblical history, and personal journey as he explores these cities and their role in the creation of the Bible. He reveals surprising facts such as what the Bible says about the birth of Jesus and how Mary’s Virgin Birth caused problems for the early church. We’ll also see how the God of the Old Testament was influenced by other deities, that there were numerous non-biblical books written about Moses, Jacob, and Jesus in antiquity, and how far more books were left out of the Bible than were let in during the messy, political canonization process.The Cities That Built the Bible is a magnificent tour through fourteen cities: the Phoenicia cities of Tyre, Sidon, and Byblos, Ugarit, Nineveh, Babylon, Megiddo, Athens, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Qumran, Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Rome. Along the way, Cargill includes photos of artifacts, dig sites, ruins, and relics, taking readers on a far-reaching journey from the Grotto of the Nativity to the battlegrounds of Megiddo, from the towering Acropolis of Athens to the caves in Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.An exciting adventure through time, The Cities That Built the Bible is a fresh, fascinating exploration that sheds new light on the Bible.
The Ends of the World: Volcanic Apocalypses, Lethal Oceans, and Our Quest to Understand Earth's Past Mass Extinctions
by Peter BrannenAs new groundbreaking research suggests that climate change played a major role in the most extreme catastrophes in the planet's history, award-winning science journalist Peter Brannen takes us on a wild ride through the planet's five mass extinctions and, in the process, offers us a glimpse of our increasingly dangerous future Our world has ended five times: it has been broiled, frozen, poison-gassed, smothered, and pelted by asteroids. In The Ends of the World, Peter Brannen dives into deep time, exploring Earth’s past dead ends, and in the process, offers us a glimpse of our possible future.Many scientists now believe that the climate shifts of the twenty-first century have analogs in these five extinctions. Using the visible clues these devastations have left behind in the fossil record, The Ends of the World takes us inside “scenes of the crime,” from South Africa to the New York Palisades, to tell the story of each extinction. Brannen examines the fossil record—which is rife with creatures like dragonflies the size of sea gulls and guillotine-mouthed fish—and introduces us to the researchers on the front lines who, using the forensic tools of modern science, are piecing together what really happened at the crime scenes of the Earth’s biggest whodunits.Part road trip, part history, and part cautionary tale, The Ends of the World takes us on a tour of the ways that our planet has clawed itself back from the grave, and casts our future in a completely new light.
Let's Investigate with Nate #4: The Life Cycle (Let's Investigate with Nate #4)
by Nate BallBill Nye the Science Guy meets the Magic School Bus in this new STEM-based picture book series from the Emmy Award-winning host of PBS’s Design Squad and Design Squad Nation, Nate Ball. This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 4 to 6. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children.Ever stop to smell the roses and wonder how they got there? Ever think about how tadpoles become frogs and how caterpillars become butterflies? Or want to know how they’re all connected?Follow Nate and his team of plucky scientists as they morph into tiny seeds, slippery tadpoles, and fuzzy caterpillars to learn about the life cycle. While on this adventure, learn all about how plants make food from the sun, why some animals transform as they mature, and what truly defines a living thing in this brand-new adventure from everyone’s favorite fun-loving scientist and Emmy Award–winning PBS star, Nate Ball.Featuring vibrant illustrations by Wes Hargis and a lively and a lovable cast of characters, the Let’s Investigate with Nate books align to grade-appropriate state-level learning standards and curriculum. With sidebars and charts and graphs and interactive elements—including a Do It Yourself experiment at the back of the book—The Life Cycle takes young readers on an adventure in learning and makes learning an adventure!
Let's Investigate with Nate #3: Dinosaurs (Let's Investigate with Nate #3)
by Nate BallBill Nye the Science Guy meets the Magic School Bus in this new STEM-based picture book series from the Emmy Award-winning host of PBS’s Design Squad and Design Squad Nation, Nate Ball. This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 4 to 6. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children.Ever head to the museum and wish you could go back in time to see how big dinosaurs really were? Or think about what dinosaurs ate and where they lived? Follow Nate and his diverse team of intrepid scientists as they travel back across the millennia to dig up prehistoric fossils, travel across ancient landscapes, and discover what caused the dinosaur’s mass extinction. Featuring vibrant illustrations by Wes Hargis and a lively and a lovable cast of characters, the Let’s Investigate with Nate books align to grade-appropriate state-level learning standards and curriculum.With sidebars and charts and graphs and interactive elements—including a Do It Yourself experiment at the back of the book—Dinosaurs takes young readers on an adventure in learning and makes learning an adventure!
Let's Investigate with Nate #2: The Solar System (Let's Investigate with Nate #2)
by Nate BallBill Nye the Science Guy meets The Magic School Bus!This is the second book in a new STEM-based picture book series from the Emmy Award-winning host of PBS’s Design Squad and Design Squad Nation, Nate Ball. With a lively cast of characters and vibrant illustrations by Wes Hargis, it's an adventure in learning!Ever look up at the sky and wonder how many planets there are? Or want to know how many Earths could fit within the Sun? Take a ride 3.6 billion miles away to answer these questions and more while exploring the solar system with Nate and his team of adventurous scientists! Walk on the moon, fly with a satellite, gaze at comets, and discover why Pluto isn’t a planet anymore.
Let's Investigate with Nate #1: The Water Cycle (Let's Investigate with Nate #1)
by Nate BallBill Nye the Science Guy meets The Magic School Bus!This is the first book in a new STEM-based picture book series from the Emmy Award-winning host of PBS’s Design Squad and Design Squad Nation, Nate Ball. With a lively cast of characters and vibrant illustrations by Wes Hargis, it's an adventure in learning! This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 4 to 6. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children.Ever wonder where water comes from and where it goes? Or why sometimes it rains and sometimes it snows? Then join Nate Ball and his crack team of curious scientists as they shrink down smaller than a raindrop to see firsthand what the water cycle is all about.
Ships, Clocks, and Stars: The Quest for Longitude
by Richard Dunn Rebekah HiggittA tale of eighteenth-century invention and competition, commerce and conflict, this is a lively, illustrated, and accurate chronicle of the search to solve “the longitude problem,” the question of how to determine a ship’s position at sea—and one that changed the history of mankind.Ships, Clocks, and Stars brings into focus one of our greatest scientific stories: the search to accurately measure a ship’s position at sea. The incredible, illustrated volume reveals why longitude mattered to seafaring nations, illuminates the various solutions that were proposed and tested, and explores the invention that revolutionized human history and the man behind it, John Harrison. Here, too, are the voyages of Captain Cook that put these revolutionary navigational methods to the test.Filled with astronomers, inventors, politicians, seamen, and satirists, Ships, Clocks, and Stars explores the scientific, political, and commercial battles of the age, as well as the sailors, ships, and voyages that made it legend—from Matthew Flinders and George Vancouver to the voyages of the Bounty and the Beagle.Featuring more than 150 photographs specially commissioned from Britain’s National Maritime Museum, this evocative, detailed, and thoroughly fascinating history brings this age of exploration and enlightenment vividly to life.
Wildfires
by Seymour SimonA raging wildfire can be a major disaster, costing lives and destroying homes. But fires in nature can help as well as harm, clearing forests of dead trees and allowing young plants to grow. Breathtaking photos highlight this surprising look at fire’s part in maintaining the balance of nature. This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 6 to 8. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children.This updated edition includes:• Author’s note• Stunning full-color photographs• Glossary• Index• Websites and additional reading sources• Series thumbnails on back coverSupports the Common Core Learning Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) standards
The Sun (Seymour Simon Science Ser.)
by Seymour SimonIn this completely updated edition of The Sun featuring beautiful full-color photographs, Seymour Simon presents a fascinating introduction to the star that is the center of our Solar System.Young readers will love exploring the wonders of the sun, from the constant nuclear explosions at its core to the sea of boiling gases that forms its surface.Seymour Simon knows how to explain science to kids and make it fun. He was a teacher for more than twenty years, has written more than 250 books, and has won multiple awards.This book includes an author's note, glossary, and index and supports the Common Core Learning Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) standards.
Destination: Revised Edition
by Seymour SimonAward-winning science writer Seymour Simon explores the Red Planet through fascinating facts and amazing full-color photographs. Readers will learn about the recent discovery of water, the Valles Marineris—the biggest valley on Mars—the ice caps, recent expeditions, and more. This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 6 to 8. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children.This updated edition includes:author’s notestunning full-color photographsglossaryindexwebsites and additional reading sourcesSupports the Common Core Learning Standards, Next Generation Science Standards and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) standards.
Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs: The Astounding Interconnectedness of the Universe
by Lisa RandallIn this brilliant exploration of our cosmic environment, the renowned particle physicist and New York Times bestselling author of Warped Passages and Knocking on Heaven’s Door uses her research into dark matter to illuminate the startling connections between the furthest reaches of space and life here on Earth.Sixty-six million years ago, an object the size of a city descended from space to crash into Earth, creating a devastating cataclysm that killed off the dinosaurs, along with three-quarters of the other species on the planet. What was its origin? In Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs, Lisa Randall proposes it was a comet that was dislodged from its orbit as the Solar System passed through a disk of dark matter embedded in the Milky Way. In a sense, it might have been dark matter that killed the dinosaurs.Working through the background and consequences of this proposal, Randall shares with us the latest findings—established and speculative—regarding the nature and role of dark matter and the origin of the Universe, our galaxy, our Solar System, and life, along with the process by which scientists explore new concepts. In Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs, Randall tells a breathtaking story that weaves together the cosmos’ history and our own, illuminating the deep relationships that are critical to our world and the astonishing beauty inherent in the most familiar things.
The Ten Trusts: What We Must Do to Care for The Animals We Love
by Jane Goodall Marc BekoffWorld-renowned behavioral scientists Jane Goodall and Marc Bekoff have set forth ten trusts that we must honor as custodians of the planet. They argue passionately and persuasively that if we put these trusts to work in our lives, the earth and all its inhabitants will be able to live together harmoniously. The Ten Trusts expands the concept of our obligation to live in close relationship with animals -- for, of course, we humans are part of the animal kingdom -- challenging us to respect the interconnection between all living beings as we learn to care about and appreciate all species.The world is changing. We are gradually becoming more aware of the damage we are inflicting on the natural world. At this critical moment for the earth, Goodall and Bekoff share their hope and vision of a world where human cruelty and hatred are transformed into compassion and love for all living beings. They dream of a day when scientists and non-scientists can work together to transform the earth into a place where human beings live in peace and harmony with animals and the natural world.Simple yet profound, The Ten Trusts will not only change your perspective regarding how we live on this planet, it will establish your responsibilities as a steward of the natural world and show you how to live with respect for all life.
My Weird School Fast Facts: Geography (My Weird School Fast Facts)
by Dan Gutman Jim PaillotThink fast with A.J. and Andrea from My Weird School!Did you know that Antarctica's largest land animal is an insect? Did you know that the smallest country in the world is only 0.2 square miles?!Learn more weird-but-true geography facts with A.J. and Andrea from Dan Gutman's bestselling My Weird School series. This all-new series of nonfiction books features hundreds of hysterical facts, plus lots of photos and illustrations.Whether you're a kid who wants to learn more about geography or simply someone who wants to know if there's really a town called Scratch Ankle, this geography facts edition is the book for you.With more than 9.5 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading!
Storm Surge: Hurricane Sandy, Our Changing Climate, and Extreme Weather of the Past and Future
by Adam SobelWas Sandy a freak of nature, or the new normal?On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy reached the shores of the northeastern United States to become one of the most destructive storms in history. But was Sandy a freak event, or should we have been better prepared for it? Was it a harbinger of things to come as the climate warms? In this fascinating and accessible work of popular science, atmospheric scientist and Columbia University professor Adam Sobel addresses these questions, combining his deep knowledge of the climate with his firsthand experience of the event itself.Sobel explains the remarkable atmospheric conditions that gave birth to Sandy and determined its path. He gives us insight into the science that led to the accurate forecasts of the storm from genesis to landfall, as well as an understanding of why our meteorological vocabulary failed our leaders in warning us about this unprecedented weather system—part hurricane, part winter-type nor'easter, fully deserving of the title "Superstorm."Storm Surge brings together the melting glaciers, the warming oceans, and a broad historical perspective to explain how our changing climate and developing coastlines are making New York and other cities more vulnerable. Engaging, informative, and timely, Sobel's book provokes us to think differently about how we can better prepare for the storms in our future.
Sea Creatures
by Seymour SimonDive into the wonderful world under the sea with Sea Creatures, a gorgeous informational picture book from award-winning science writer Seymour Simon! This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 6 to 8. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children.Ranging from tiny single-celled creatures to the larger-than-life whales, the ocean is filled with life. Some sea animals live in the darkest depths of the ocean, while others live close to sunlight. From camouflage to way of communicating to existing symbiotically, sea creatures are some of the most adaptable animals on Earth. With clear, simple text and stunning full-color photographs, readers will explore the deep blue sea and meet all types of aquatic friends.This book includes an author's note, a glossary, and an index and supports the Common Core State Standards.
Rocks & Minerals
by Seymour SimonAward-winning science writer Seymour Simon explains to readers the different types of rocks and minerals with fascinating facts and stunning full-color photographs. This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 6 to 8. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children.Readers will learn how to identify and classify various kinds of stones, such as granite, sandstone, basalt, quartz, and crystal.This book includes an author's note, a glossary, and an index and supports the Common Core State Standards.
Insects (Seymour Simon Science Ser.)
by Seymour SimonAward-winning science writer Seymour Simon explores the wonderful world of insects, with fascinating facts and stunning full-color photographs, in his latest nonfiction picture book. Readers will learn all about insects’ life stages, senses, bodies, and the many different kinds, including beetles, ladybugs, bees, butterflies, and more! This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 6 to 8. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children.This updated edition includes:Stunning full-color photographsGlossaryIndexWebsite and additional reading sourcesSupports the Common Core Learning Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) standards
Frogs (Seymour Simon Science Ser.)
by Seymour SimonAward-winning science writer Seymour Simon takes readers on a journey through a frog's life cycle, from egg to tadpole to grown frog in this engaging nonfiction picture book. Readers will learn about the different types of frogs and toads from all over the world! Where do frogs live? How do frogs eat and drink? How far can they jump? Find out and more in this beautiful picture book ideal for young scientists and animal-lovers filled with fascinating facts, stunning full-color photographs, and an underlying message of ecological preservation.. This book includes an author's note, a glossary, and an index. An excellent choice for classrooms and homeschooling, Frogs supports the Common Core State Standards.
Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883
by Simon WinchesterThe bestselling author of The Professor and the Madman and The Map That Changed the World examines the enduring and world-changing effects of the catastrophic eruption off the coast of Java of the earth's most dangerous volcano -- Krakatoa.The legendary annihilation in 1883 of the volcano-island of Krakatoa -- the name has since become a byword for a cataclysmic disaster -- was followed by an immense tsunami that killed nearly forty thousand people. Beyond the purely physical horrors of an event that has only very recently been properly understood, the eruption changed the world in more ways than could possibly be imagined. Dust swirled round die planet for years, causing temperatures to plummet and sunsets to turn vivid with lurid and unsettling displays of light. The effects of the immense waves were felt as far away as France. Barometers in Bogotá and Washington, D.C., went haywire. Bodies were washed up in Zanzibar. The sound of the island's destruction was heard in Australia and India and on islands thousands of miles away. Most significant of all -- in view of today's new political climate -- the eruption helped to trigger in Java a wave of murderous anti-Western militancy among fundamentalist Muslims: one of the first outbreaks of Islamic-inspired killings anywhere.Simon Winchester's long experience in the world wandering as well as his knowledge of history and geology give us an entirely new perspective on this fascinating and iconic event as he brings it telling back to life.
A Crack in the Edge of the World: America and the Great California Earthquake of 1906
by Simon WinchesterA burgeoning new city is built on the dreams of the American gold rush. It is also built upon a landscape that has been stretching, sliding and breaking apart for millennia. In 1906 the dreams of this city came crashing down beneath the rippling wave of a horrifying earthquake that turned roads into great rippling rivers, that set buildings ablaze for days on end, that made homes collapse upon themselves. Simon Winchester's breathtaking story delves deep beneath the surface of the earth and explains to us why the world moves as it does; and breaks apart with such devastating results. At the same time he never lets us forget the human story: what happened in this new, seemingly blessed city on the 18th April 1906. As he vividly portrays the lives of the people who suffered and survived the devastation he also tells a universal story: the hubris of man as he ignores the warnings of nature and how we respond and try to understand the world around us. Compelling, moving and enlightening, Simon Winchester brings to light the world beneath our feet and through the story of this one terrifying event one hundred years ago, begins to make sense of our world now.
Wonders of Life: Exploring the Most Extraordinary Phenomenon in the Universe (Wonders Series)
by Brian Cox Andrew CohenIn Wonders of Life: Exploring the Most Extraordinary Force in the Universe, the definitive companion to the Discovery Science Channel series, Professor Brian Cox takes us on an incredible journey to discover the most complex, diverse, and unique force in the universe: life itself.Through his voyage of discovery, international bestselling author Brian Cox explains how the astonishing inventiveness of nature came about and uncovers the milestones in the epic journey from the origin of life to our own lives, with beautiful full-color illustrations throughout. From spectacular fountains of superheated water at the bottom of the Atlantic to the deepest rainforest, Cox seeks out the places where the biggest questions about life may be answered: What is life? Why do we need water? Why does life end?Physicist and professor Brian Cox uncovers the secrets of life in the most unexpected locations and in the most stunning detail in this beautiful full-color volume.
How to Be Alive: A Guide to the Kind of Happiness That Helps the World
by Colin Beavan“This is the book where self-help turns into helping the world—and then turns back into helping yourself find a better life. Fascinating and timely!”—Bill McKibben, author of Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New PlanetWhat does it take to achieve a successful and satisfying life? Not long ago, the answer seemed as simple as following a straightforward path: college, career, house, marriage, kids, and a secure retirement. Not anymore. Staggering student loan debt, sweeping job shortages, a chronically ailing economy—plus the larger issues of global unrest, poverty, and our imperiled environment—make the search for fulfillment more challenging. And, as Colin Beavan, activist and author of No Impact Man, proclaims, more exciting.In this breakthrough book, Beavan extends a hand to those seeking more meaning and joy in life even as they engage in addressing our various world crises. How to Be Alive nudges the unfulfilled toward creating their own version of the Good Life—a life where feeling good and doing good intersect. He urges readers to reexamine the “standard life approaches” to pretty much everything and to experiment with life choices that are truer to their values, passions, and concerns.How do you stop placing limits on your potential impact? How do you make your choices really matter in everything from your clothing purchases to your career? How do you find the people who will most support you in your quest for a good life? To answer these questions and more, Beavan draws on classic literature and philosophy; surprising new scientific findings; and the uplifting personal stories of real-life “lifequesters”—people who are breaking away from those old broken paths, blazing fresh trails, and reveling in every step along the way.“There is a movement afoot for a better life and Colin Beavan is its prophet, with a new book as powerful as his already classic No Impact Man.”—John de Graaf, coauthor of Affluenza