An awakening, a rebirth called the Renaissance, changed Europe and the world from the 14th to the 16th century. The movement influenced all parts of society-art, science, architecture, literature, religion, politics, economics, and philosophy. Florence, Italy, the birthplace of the Renaissance, thrived in its dynamic climate. Like most of the poor, this movement did not affect Antonia. She still roamed the streets barefoot with other kids begging for bread. However, things changed when she became a servant in the palace of the Medici, the most powerful family in the region. Let's travel back to 15th-century Florence and visit Antonia who is anxious to tell about her life and Renaissance Italy.
Liu Chi is ten years old and lives in China. It is the year 1585, and the era of the Ming Dynasty, which was one of the most exciting times to live in China. Liu Chi has to go to school, do chores, and get along with his brothers and sisters just like kids do today. He lives in Peking, which is now called Bejiing. Come along with Liu as he leads you through the narrow streets of the city to see the sights. There is a grand procession headed by Emperor Wanli to watch and a visit to the sweets shop. You will also make a stop in a park to see a puppet show and climb a tree to peer over the wall around the mysterious Forbidden City. Join Liu Chi for a trip back in time.
Life in Spain was peaceful and simple for Rifka and her family, until Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand made a new decision for the country. Eager to bring the kingdoms closer, the royals felt everyone should share the same religion. Jews and Muslims were forced to convert-or leave. Explore Rifka's world as she, her brother, and her parents, decide to leave their homeland behind and head into the unknown. Along the way, you will meet the cloaked familiars, cruel men determined to get confessions no matter what they have to do, on the orders of the teenaged king and queen. Spain, in all its beauty, will never be the same after this, and Rifka's family will bring you along on the journey.
Come visit Ancient Egypt, the land of sand and soil! What was it like to be a kid in this long ago land? Did you go to school? What games would you play? What was family life like? Pharaohs, pyramids, hieroglyphs, mummies, and more wait to be discovered by you, so let's take a trip to Ancient Egypt!
Imagine living in the days of castles and knights, lords and ladies, minstrels and troubadours! Medieval life was full of the stuff of legends, but at the same time, the people of the Middle Ages often endured plagues, famine, war, and other hardships. Even during times of peace and prosperity, their days were long and their work was hard. Let's travel back in time to Medieval England where ten-year-old William will show us what daily life was like in a fourteenth-century English city. This Core Curriculum aligned, library bound book is by award winning author Ann Tatlock.
As the sun begins to set, arctic animals scurry to prepare for six months of darkness and cold. Tuktuk the collared lemming is almost ready for the long winter night all he needs is warm fur to line his nest. When one furry kamik (boot) slips off an Inuit drivers sled, Tuktuk is in luck! But as he drags it home, Putak the polar bear, Aput the arctic fox, and Masak the caribou eye this little lemmings prize and want it for their own. Can Tuktuk outwit the other animals and convince them that one furry kamik is no good for anyone bigger than a lemming?
Alexa and the other children at her escuela in Costa Rica have a special project: they are raising American Crocodiles. She names her croc Jefe, which means "boss," because he seems to be in charge of all the other babies. Alexa brings him chicken and frogs to eat, and writes about his progress in her diary. Soon, her little hatchling is as big as a loaf of bread. He has grown into a juvenile and it is time for Alexa to say goodbye and for Jefe to return to the wild.
Like humans, animals can get sick or hurt. People visit doctors. Pets see veterinarians. What happens to wild animals when they are injured, become ill, or are orphaned? Often, wildlife rehabilitators are called to their rescue. This photographic journal takes readers behind the scenes at four different wildlife rehabilitation centers. Fall in love with these backyard animals as they are nursed back to health and released back to the wild when possible. This is the first of a photographic series introducing the different ways and the many people who care for a wide variety of animals.
This introduction to Australia explores the geography and culture of this country.
This book introduces young readers to their roles within a family. From brother and sister to granddaughter and friend, this title uses a child-centered approach to explain who children are to the people around them. An activity asks the readers to close their eyes and think about which role they love the best.
This question and answer book invites readers to explore the world around them. Throughout the book, children are asked, What do you see? What do I see? The response appears on the opposite page. Colorful photographs show what they see - a bee, a bunny, a chimpanzee, and even a girl in a seashell! Repetitive text patterns and rhyme engage readers as they build fundamental literacy skills.
This engaging book uses a simple question-and-answer format that features rhyme. Children will be delighted by images of a cat in a hat, a dog on a log, and a mouse in a house. The book also helps children differentiate between the locations in and on.
What clothes do we wear when it is summer or winter or when it is time for bed? Appealing photos with simple labels help children learn why we wear different clothes for different seasons or for doing certain activities. A special section shows children in uniforms and costumes and asks readers to identify when each of these special clothes might be worn.
This book explores the ways in which people are different and the same. We are all living things on the same planet. We all need food, shelter, and friends. We all grow up. We also have different ways of life, and we are each good at different things. The things that are the same make us feel close to one another; the things that are different make it fun to know each other!
This interesting book shows children how our faces and body postures show the emotions we are feeling. Throughout the book and in an activity at the end, young readers are asked to figure out which emotions the children pictured in the photos are feeling. This important book will help children "read" the unspoken feelings that they and others express. It can be a big help to children with Asperger's syndrome, who may have difficulty picking up on social cues and reading the body language of others.
Playgrounds are places to play and have fun, but don't forget to watch out for potential hazards. Not taking care on playground equipment and ignoring the rules can lead to serious trouble. Safety at the Playground makes learning to take care at the playground easy for children to understand.
It is important for children to know how to keep safe while at school. Protective equipment is needed when playing contact sports or conducting experiments. Horsing around in class is a definite no when it comes to keeping safe at school.
Engineers know that there is always more than one possible solution to a problem! This interesting title uses accessible text and relatable examples to explain how engineers test and compare different solutions to determine which solution is best.
Most people try to avoid problems, but not engineers! They go out and look for problems! In this fun, new title readers will learn about the kinds of problems engineers help solve. Readers are also introduced to the tool engineers use to solve problems - the Engineering Design Process.
What does it feel like to live in a pressurized metal tube 1000 feet (300 m) under the ocean, and only steps away from lethally dangerous nuclear fissile material? Nuclear submariners know. In wartime, theirs is an unenviable task - to hunt other submarines and destroy them before they themselves can be hunted down. Nuclear power allows these submarines to operate at high speed for long durations without having to surface frequently. Nuclear submarines never need to be refueled throughout their 25-year life-span. This fascinating book looks at what life is like for the men who live and work together on these boats; what the inside of a nuclear submarine looks like and how it works; how the sea gives the submariners all the air they need to breathe while under water; and how they "fight" the boat while they hunt other submarines.
Piloting experimental aircraft is more dangerous than most other types of flying. Test pilots are generally military aviators who fly new and modified aircraft, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated. In the 1950s, test pilots were being killed at the rate of about one a week, but the risks have shrunk to a fraction of that, thanks to the sophistication of aircraft technology, better ground-testing, and simulation of aircraft performance. Despite their image as fun-loving daredevils, these pilots have to be ruthlessly precise and professional when flying. This intriguing book looks at what type of people become test pilots, how they train, what the job includes, how it feels to be the first person to fly a new design, the aircraft they fly, and how they analyze and report on each flight.
Police officers are the protective barrier standing between the public on one side and lawlessness on the other - the so-called "thin blue line." A high-stress job, officers face daily interactions in stressful situations where the element of risk is always lurking. An officer's main duty is to maintain law and order within a community, which means they are regularly face to face with citizens and out patrolling the streets. This book looks at the duties of police officers in crime prevention, the apprehension of offenders, and emergency situations.
When the heat gets turned up in a conflict, support helicopter pilots are called upon to bring in additional troops and equipment or even provide battle support from the air. In modern warfare, the helicopter's agility and hovering ability have made it indispensible to the army, navy, air force, and marines for tactical support. This book describes the different missions support helicopter pilots undertake and the dangerous circumstances they must usually fly under.
These army pilots fly the most demanding helicopter in existence, a machine so complex to operate that its known as Riding the Dragon. Only 3% of existing army helicopter pilots qualify to fly it. Trainees have to learn to train their eyes to work independently of each other while the right eye sees flight and weapons information in the helmet's monocle, the left eye is free to look outside the aircraft and scan for threats and other obstacles. And, flying the helicopter is only half the battle - its purpose is to provide firepower from the air to protect soldiers on the ground. This book lifts the lid on what life is like for these men and women: their training; the aircraft; the missions, and what its actually like to be under fire while flying.
Spotlight on South Korea introduces children to the country of South Korea in Asia whose nearest neighbors are China, Japan, and North Korea. South Korea is mostly mountainous, and there are about 3,000 islands off its coasts. Most South Koreans have moved from the countryside to the cities, especially to its capital Seoul, the country's largest city. Young readers will learn about South Korea's history, the daily life of Koreans, as well as about Korean festivals and culture.