Spotlight on India introduces children to the land, people, and rich traditions of this beautiful country. Breathtaking photos feature the Himalaya Mountains, the Ganges and Indus Rivers, and major cities such as New Delhi. This joyful book also celebrates Indias unique mixture of peoples, monuments, such as the famous Taj Mahal, and its unique styles of music and dance.
Mexico is the southern neighbor of the United States. It is a country with a rich history and culture, a warm climate, diverse landscapes, and a variety of wildlife. From Mayan pyramids to busy cities to happy fiestas, Spotlight on Mexico offers a joyful experience to young readers. The book also includes recipes of some favorite Mexican foods that children will love to make!
The spotlight is on China having been host to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Maps and illustrations highlight this beautiful introduction to this vast country covered with such diverse landforms as mountains, deserts, and jungles. Stunning photographs feature the sites of its cities including Shanghai and Hong Kong as well as its architectural wonders such as the famous Great Wall and the Forbidden City. Children will also enjoy learning about Chinas people, their holidays and celebrations, high flying martial arts, Chinese cooking, and horoscopes.
This up-to-date and fact filled introduction to Australia features the unique people, land, and animals of this island country. Children will be fascinated to learn about the native Aboriginal peoples and their way of life, the harsh Outback wilderness, the Great Barrier Reef, and the many marsupials that are unique to Australia, including the kangaroo and the koala. Spectacular photographs also give young readers a close-up view of major cities.
Spotlight on Canada introduces children to Canada's multicultural people, its varied landscapes and climates, its exciting cities, and its joyful celebrations. A huge country with only one neighbor, the United States, Canada is divided into provinces and territories. French and English are its two official languages, and its rich history goes back to its French and English roots. This colorful book celebrates the diversity of this great country!
This fascinating book explores the growth and spread of Muslim peoples from the early 600s to the end of the Ottoman Empire. Early Islamic empires spread from the Middle East to the far corners of Asia and into Europe. The stories of the Umayyds, Abbasids, Al-Andalus, Fatimids, Crusades, Mongols, Safavids, and the Moghul and Ottoman empires are revealed. Key conquests and battles including the Crusades are detailed.
This colorful book describes the geological makeup and history of the Kalahari Desert in Africa. Covering most of Botswana, as well as portions of Namibia and South Africa, the Kalahari is not a true desert because it receives more than ten inches (250 mm) of rain each year. But the rain drains and evaporates quickly leaving no water on the surface of the red sand. Readers will learn about the variety of habitats in this vast desert system that support many different kinds of plants and animals such as springboks, giraffes, elephants, and zebras. Special sections also describe the Kalahari's natural resources, indigenous people, and the unique problems facing this region.
This intriguing book describes the geological makeup and history of the Gobi Desert in Mongolia and China. Temperatures can get very cold and frost and snow are not unusual. Readers will learn about the variety of habitats in this vast desert system that support many different kinds of plants and animals such as camels, snow leopards, and bears. The Gobi Desert is also where the first dinosaur egg fossils were found. Special sections describe the desert's natural resources, such as copper and gold, and the unique problems facing this region such as the desert's alarming rate of desertification.
What are Forests? brings to life the wondrously complex and diverse ecosystems found in forests around the world. Intricate relationships and concepts are explained in a simple way with the help of beautiful color photographs. Children will be fascinated by the earth's many types of forests, the elements that make up a forest ecosystem, the wide range of plant and animal species that live in different forests, and the importance of forests to the rest of the Earth.
The constantly changing ecosystems of salt and freshwater wetlands support an amazing variety of wildlife species. Children will be intrigued by the fascinating animals that depend on wetlands, such as alligators and hippopotamuses, and the plants that grow there. This engaging book investigates swamps, salt marshes, and flood plains, the many plants and animals that live in wetlands, and the threats to these ecosystems and their wildlife.
Biomes are the major communities of plants and animals in our world. Children will love learning about life in everything from the chilly arctic tundra biome to dry, grassy savannahs.
Spotlight on Italy introduces children to a country that has influenced the world throughout history. Children will be taken on a tour of the country from the towering Alps to the sandy beaches of the Mediterranean islands. The daily lives of modern Italians is also presented along with their customs and traditions.
Spotlight on Russia gives children a fascinating introduction to the largest country in the world, which is part of two continents! Wonderful photographs feature Russias many diverse people, its unique plants and animals, and its dramatic landscape, including beautiful Lake Baikal. The traditions and symbols of Russia are also featured from classical ballet to the Moscow circus.
Spotlight on Brazil introduces children to the country of Brazil, where almost half the population of South America lives. Children will read about Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, the daily lives of Brazilians in the cities, and why the way of life of native peoples in the Amazon rain forest is being changed forever.
Spotlight on South Africa introduces readers to this vast country, from Table Mountain to the grasslands, where elephants, lions, and other wildlife live in protected parks. The daily lives and family traditions of the mix of people and cultures that make up South Africa today are highlighted. A special section features the joyful celebration of the World Cup of soccer held in South Africa in 2010.
Spotlight on the Philippines introduces this fascinating country in the Pacific Ocean, which is made up of over 7,000 islands. Children will learn about the daily lives of the people and the country's unique culture festivals and dances.
Spotlight on Japan reveals the beauty of this island nation, from its bamboo forests to its majestic mountains. The everyday life of the modern Japanese people is highlighted along with traditional festivals and more modern leisure activities, such as manga and karaoke. Children will also be fascinated to learn about the way of life of the ancient samurai warrior.
Colorful photographs highlight this captivating look at Indonesia. A country of 17,508 islands, Indonesia is a visual wonderland of rain forests, mountains, pristine beaches, and over 150 active volcanoes. Children will be amazed by fascinating customs and celebrations and photographs of Komodo Dragons, Sumatran tigers, and orangutans.
Children will be delighted by exciting images of pyramids and mummies in this introduction to one of the worlds oldest civilizations. Spotlight on Egypt covers everything from this country's ancient history under the ruling pharaohs to the customs and traditions of its people today. Egypt's wildlife and the importance of the Nile River and Sahara Desert are also highlighted.
Spotlight on Canada introduces children to Canada's multicultural people, its varied landscapes and climates, its exciting cities, and its joyful celebrations. A huge country with only one neighbor, the United States, Canada is divided into provinces and territories. French and English are its two official languages, and its rich history goes back to its French and English roots. This colorful book celebrates the diversity of this great country!
Mexico is the southern neighbor of the United States. It is a country with a rich history and culture, a warm climate, diverse landscapes, and a variety of wildlife. From Mayan pyramids to busy cities to happy fiestas, Spotlight on Mexico offers a joyful experience to young readers. The book also includes recipes of some favorite Mexican foods that children will love to make!
In 1912, German meteorologist Alfred Wegener proposed that the continents were once a single land mass but had slowly moved apart over millions of years. This fascinating book examines the scientific process behind Wegener's theory and how it challenged prevailing views of the time. Learn how years after Wegener's death his theory was embraced by scientists and is now the basis for modern earth science.
The Tigris and Euphrates rivers surround a region once known as Mesopotamia, the "cradle" of ancient civilizations that included Sumer, Babylonia, and Assyria. This fascinating book follows both rivers from where they begin in Turkey, travel down through northern Syria and Iraq, and join to form the Shatt al Arab before emptying into the Persian Gulf.
This informative book follows the St. Lawrence River, once a main route of the fur and timber trades. This important commercial waterway forms part of the boundary between Canada and the United States and connects the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. Today, a system of canals, dams, and locks lets seagoing ships travel all the way to Lake Superior.
The Nile is the worlds longest river and the birthplace of one of the greatest civilizations of the ancient world. This book takes readers along the River in the Sand. Ancient Egyptians depended on the Niles annual floods to deposit fertile soil for farming. Today, more than 70 million people still grow crops in the rivers basin and fish in its waters.