Throughout history, people have recorded ideas and important events in their lives and communities. Methods of writing have changed greatly over the years. Today, computers make a writer's job much easier and enable people to write and publish more material than ever before.
Long ago, it often took weeks for postal workers to deliver mail to people who lived far away. Today, mail is transported quickly by trucks and airplanes, and it usually reaches its destination in a few days. Postal workers deliver mail directly to homes, businesses, and mailboxes.
Actors have entertained audiences for thousands of years. In the past, plays were performed both to entertain and to teach. Today, plays involve the use of lighting, sound systems, and elaborate sets and often have large casts that include many actors.
Farmers are important because they grow the food that people eat. Modern equipment enables farmers to grow more food for an ever-increasing world population.
Fishers have provided food for thousands of years. Long ago, fishers had to fish close to land and used simple fishing tools such as knives, hoes, and spears. With the use of modern boats and fishing equipment, today's fishers fish far out in the ocean and catch a large variety of fish for market.
Librarians lend and take care of books. Many years ago, the job of a librarian was simpler because librarians only took care of a few books and libraries were small. Most libraries today contain many books, magazines, computers, and other media equipment. Librarians today help people find information and show them new ways to find it.
For over two hundred years, individuals have protected and served their communities as lawmen. Today, people who help enforce the law are called police officers because both men and women can serve in the police force.
Many years ago, doctors trained nurses to help them treat people. Today, nurses go to school to learn about medicine and about how to help people when they are sick. Nurses perform many of the same duties as doctors.
The first teachers in the United States were students who did well in school and were hired to teach other students. Today, teachers must have college degrees to teach. Schools today are larger than those in the past and often have several separate classes at the same grade level.
Firefighters are community heroes and their job is to help wherever there is trouble. Firefighters must be well trained, wear protective uniforms, and ride on trucks that are equipped to fight fires. Firefighters and the equipment they use today have changed significantly over the years.
Rivers flow through plains and forests and provide water to plants, animals, and people. Children will learn how rivers begin and end, the parts of a river, and what animals call a river home. Blastoff! Series
Volcanoes are many different shapes and sizes. They can be dormant or active. Students will learn about the different kinds of volcanoes and discover what makes a volcano erupt. Blastoff! Series
Watch out for that big wave! Oceans cover a large part of Earth and support a wide variety of plants and animals. Young readers will learn about the tides, waves, and currents of the ocean as well as what lives beneath the surface. Blastoff! Series
Deserts are vast areas of the Earth with very little moisture. There can be both hot deserts and cold deserts. Students will learn the difference between hot and cold deserts, and how desert plants and animals survive the harsh conditions. Blastoff! Series
There are many different kinds of caves found all around the world. Many are millions of years old! Students will explore the many different kinds of caves, their unique features, and the difference between stalactites and stalagmites. Blastoff! Series
Earth has hundreds of thousands of lakes with a wide range of sizes. Young readers will learn about how lakes form, the different kinds of lakes, and what animals call lakes home. Blastoff! Series
Take a climb high into the mountains! This basic introduction to mountains explains the different kinds of mountains, how mountains form, and how people use mountains for recreational activities. Blastoff! Series
Puppies are born with a fully developed sense of smell. Get a first look at how these lovable household pets grow up, eat, and play. Blastoff! Series
Hurricane . . . just the word brings to mind the power of these natural disasters. Humans watch the news and know of impending arrival. We board up windows and gather supplies. We might huddle in our homes or go inland. Then we wait for the storm to arrive. But what do wild animals do? Do they know when a storm is coming? If so, how do they prepare? This book explains how nine animals sense, react, and prepare for a hurricane. Based on research or observations, the brief portraits are explained in simple, poetic language for children of all ages.
The high maneuverability and speed of jet fighters cause pilots to experience g-forces nine times that of gravity! Students will learn about the history, technology, and future of the fastest jet fighters in the world.
When Sophia dreams that howling winds whisk the fur and feathers right off her animal friends, she shares some of her clothes with them. But her clothing doesn't work well for the animals. Seeing their disappointment, she offers to sew each one the "right" coat. Animals line up to explain what they need and why. Polar Bear needs white fur to stay warm and hide in the snow. Fish needs scales, but with slime. Snake needs scales too, but dry ones. And how will Sophia make a prickly coat for Porcupine? The award-winning team of Halfmann and Klein (Little Skink's Tail) reunite to bring animal coverings (and classification) to life in an imaginative way.
Come spend A Day on the Mountain, the follow up to Kevin Kurtz's award-winning first book, A Day in the Salt Marsh. Rhyming verse and vibrant illustrations take readers up a mountain, from the forested bottom to the snow-covered top. While climbing, they witness the changing habitats and meet the plants and animals that live there. Learn about Black bears, Great Gray Owls, Garter snakes, Clark's nutcrackers, Bighorn sheep, Hummingbirds, Yellow-bellied marmots, Mountain goats, Salamanders, and Snow fleas.
Children facing cancer--whether their own, a family member's, a friend's, or even a pet's--will find help in understanding the disease through this book. A young boy discovers his dog's lump, which is then diagnosed with those dreaded words: "It's cancer." The boy becomes a loving caretaker to his dog, who undergoes the same types of treatments and many of the same reactions as a human under similar circumstances (transference). Medical writer and award-winning children's author, Sherry North artfully weaves the serious subject into an empathetic story that even young children can understand.
A squid has two gigantic eyes to see in dark places, eights arms for holding food, and a funnel for swimming! Young readers will get sucked in as they discover how squids eat, swim, and escape predators. Blastoff! Series
Whales are giant sea creatures capable of performing amazing acrobatics! They groan and sing to talk to each other. This book lets children look closely at how whales live and behave. Blastoff! Series
