The hoatzin is not hard to identify; not only does it have a blue face and red eyes--it smells bad! In this entertaining book, Professor Oddfeather offers bite-sized facts on the hoatzin's habitat in South America, what makes them hoot and squawk so much, why they smell, and who is in their family tree. A "Battle of the Birds" comparison pits the hoatzin against a Guinea turaco. Downloadable Teacher Notes available.
The shoebill is an African wading bird that looks so weird, its scientific name actually means "King Whalehead"! In this entertaining book, Professor Oddfeather offers bite-sized facts on the shoebill's habitat, silent hunting techniques, and harsh parenting practice. A "Battle of the Birds" comparison pits the shoebill against a white stork. Downloadable Teacher Notes available.
This informative book describes the dangers and instability of living in a conflict zone, especially for children. Simple things like education and having enough food, medicine, and safe water to drink are no longer guaranteed. Examples of contemporary conflicts show how children's lives are affected, and help explain why the United Nations felt the need to create the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Free downloadable Teacher's Notes.
This interesting book describes the impact conflicts have had on children's lives throughout history. Some served in the military, from the early warrior state of Sparta to religious crusades and revolutionary battlefields. In the last century, while some children were sent to live in safe zones, others were sent to concentration camps. At home, children mainly helped the war effort by raising money, tending gardens, and helping the wounded. Free downloadable Teacher's Notes.
The American crow is known for its sleek feathers, piercing caw, and vengeful memory! In this entertaining book, Professor Oddfeather offers bite-sized facts on the crow's habitat, how crows have adapted to living near humans, and who is in their family tree. A "Battle of the Birds" comparison pits crows against their raven cousins. Downloadable Teacher Notes available.
According to UNICEF, an agency dedicated to helping children, 13.7 million children around the world are refugees, and an additional 22.8 million children are displaced within their own countries. This book explains how the lives of children forced by conflicts to leave all that they once knew will never be the same. Examples of contemporary conflicts show the difficulties often faced by child refugees, such as violence, dangerous journeys, and uncertain futures. Free downloadable Teacher's Notes.
Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world, made up of more than 17,000 islands, with lush rain forests, mountainous interiors, mangrove forests, rich coral reefs, and sandy beaches. Read all about the country's land and resources, the environmental challenges it faces, and the impact of colonization by Europeans, as well as daily life and culture for people across Indonesia. Free downloadable Teacher's Notes.
Dominated by the mighty Alps and sharing borders with five different countries, Switzerland is known for its beautiful landscapes and multicultural society. Read all about the country's land and resources, the population-dense central plateau, and its early settlement, as well as daily life and culture today for people across Switzerland. Free downloadable Teacher's Notes.
This book shines a light on the disturbing practice of recruiting children into conflicts. Around 250,000 child soldiers are participating in conflicts around the world today. Many are physically abducted or threatened into joining by armed groups or forces who desensitize them to violence. If they survive, the only way they can be reintegrated into their communities is through physical and emotional rehabilitation. Free downloadable Teacher's Notes.
Cuba, an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea, is a top tourist destination due to its subtropical climate and beautiful coastline. Read all about the country's land and resources, its complicated political history, and the impact of colonization by Europeans, as well as daily life and culture today for people across Cuba. Free downloadable Teacher's Notes.
Misinformation and disinformation both describe misleading or false information--one is spread unintentionally and the other is shared on purpose. Censorship involves suppressing certain information. All three significantly impact how people interpret issues and events. This important title examines the different ways of, and reasons for, controlling information, and how to build information literacy. Free downloadable Teacher's Notes.
Nationalism is the support for a nation or group, deeply rooted in history and culture. It is about belonging--political and ethnic. It can create positive feelings of a shared identity and even spark change, or when taken too far, divide society and result in hate and violence. Emphasizing multiple viewpoints and examples, this thoughtful title examines the impact of nationalism around the world. Free downloadable Teacher's Notes.
The world came to a halt in 2020 due to the COVID-19 virus. This timely book looks at how governments jumped into action, adapting their strategies as the pandemic evolved and changed. It also explores historical pandemic responses, the problems and challenges related to carrying out pandemic strategies, and how we can learn from the COVID-19 pandemic to prepare for the future. Free downloadable Teacher's Notes.
As the fifth-largest country in the world, Brazil's landscapes range from the famous Amazon rain forest to biodiverse mangroves, flat grasslands, and mountain ranges. Read all about the country's land and resources, how Indigenous peoples live, and the impact of colonization by Europeans, as well as daily life and culture today for people across Brazil. Free downloadable Teacher's Notes.
We know that countries enter into alliances and make treaties and agreements--but why are these important and how do they affect our lives? From the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to the Paris Agreement, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and free trade agreements (FTAs), this comprehensive book explores the reasons for and impacts of alliances and treaties. Free downloadable Teacher's Notes.
In this book, early fluent readers learn about the West, its location, history, demographics, geography, climate, and other defining features. Vibrant, fullcolor photos and carefully leveled text engage young readers as they learn about this region. A Take a Look! map highlights the region's location, while an additional infographic shows the region's top industries by state. Sidebars present interesting, supplementary information, and an At a Glance recap offers quick stats on the region. Children can learn more about America's regions using our safe search engine that provides relevant, ageappropriate websites. Explore the West also features reading tips for teachers and parents, a table of contents, a glossary, and an index.
In this book, early fluent readers will learn about the unique and defining characteristics of Africa. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text will engage young readers as they learn more about this continent’s landscape, biomes, climate, wildlife, culture, and more.
In this book, readers will learn about the unique and defining features of Greece. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text will engage young readers as they learn more about the key details of the country, including geography, climate, culture, and resources. Compelling questions encourage further inquiry. Includes reading tips for teachers and parents, a map, quick facts, a table of contents, a glossary, and an index.
In TVs and Remote Controls, early fluent readers learn about the science, engineering, and technology behind home entertainment such as televisions and remote controls. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text engage young readers as they learn about this important technology. A diagram illustrates parts of a TV, and an activity offers kids an opportunity to extend discovery. Children can learn more about TVs and remote controls using our safe search engine that provides relevant, age-appropriate websites. TVs and Remote Controls also features reading tips for teachers and parents, a table of contents, a glossary, and an index.
In Physicist, carefully leveled text and vibrant, full-color photographs take early fluent readers on an informational interview with a life scientist. Readers learn about the day-to-day responsibilities and challenges of this career and the things they can do now to prepare for work as a physicist. An infographic illustrates the tools of the trade, and an activity offers kids an opportunity to extend discovery. Children can learn more about physicists online using our safe search engine that provides relevant, age-appropriate websites. Physicist also features reading tips for teachers and parents, a table of contents, a glossary, and an index.
In Food Scientist, carefully leveled text and vibrant, full-color photographs take early fluent readers on an informational interview with a life scientist. Readers learn about the day-to-day responsibilities and challenges of this career and the things they can do now to prepare for work as a food scientist. An infographic illustrates the tools of the trade, and an activity offers kids an opportunity to extend discovery. Children can learn more about food scientists online using our safe search engine that provides relevant, age-appropriate websites. Food Scientist also features reading tips for teachers and parents, a table of contents, a glossary, and an index.
In Pyramids of Egypt, early fluent readers explore the mechanics behind this ancient engineering marvel. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text engage young readers as they learn about these monumental structures. An infographic illustrates how the pyramids were built, and an activity offers kids an opportunity to extend discovery. Children can learn more about the Egyptian pyramids using our safe search engine that provides relevant, age-appropriate websites. Pyramids of Egypt also features reading tips for teachers and parents, a table of contents, a glossary, and an index.
In Recycling, early fluent readers learn about how everyday products and packaging can be broken down and reconstructed into new items. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text engage young readers as they learn about the science behind recycling. Infographics illustrate key concepts, and an activity offers kids an opportunity to extend discovery. Children can learn more about recycling using our safe search engine that provides relevant, age-appropriate websites. Recycling also features reading tips for teachers and parents, a table of contents, a glossary, and an index.
In Guess It!, early fluent readers learn about the usefulness of estimating by exploring a variety of real-world examples. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text encourage young readers to look around them for opportunities to practice estimating.Infographics illustrate key concepts, and an activity offers kids an opportunity to extend discovery. Children can learn more about estimating using our safe search engine that provides relevant, age-appropriate websites. Guess It! also features reading tips for teachers and parents, a table of contents, a glossary, and an index.
In Rovers, early fluent readers learn about the construction and function of a variety of space rovers. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text engage young readers as they learn about the fascinating vehicles tasked with studying our universe. An infographic examines the anatomy of a rover, and an activity offers kids an opportunity to extend discovery. Children can learn more about rovers using our safe search engine that provides relevant, age-appropriate websites. Rovers also features reading tips for teachers and parents, a table of contents, a glossary, and an index.
