This fascinating book follows French explorer Jacques Cartier to the New World where he claimed the new territory called Canada for France. Historical information and high-interest fact boxes are presented in a tabloid-news style that guides readers through major voyages, explorations, and discoveries. Topics include what led Cartier to sail west, life on board ship, Cartier's exploration along the St. Lawrence, his interactions with the Iroquois, establishing French settlements in Canada, and Cartier's legacy.
Dramatic photographs of spewing and flowing lava will capture the attention of any child. In this fantastic book, children will be excited to learn what a volcano is and what makes it erupt. Simple explanations describe the different kinds of volcanoes, including cinder, cone-shaped, shield, and composite as well as the different kinds of lava and the land formations they create on land and under the ocean. Other topics include the reason volcanoes often erupt during earthquakes, why giant tsunami waves are sometimes created by underwater earthquakes, and how volcanoes are studied in order to predict and prepare for eruptions. Children will also enjoy making their own volcano out of household materials.
This magnificent book uses beautiful photography to help young children understand that oceans are a type of habitat or place in nature where plants and animals live. Simple text explains why some oceans are warm and some are cold, which kinds of plants and animals live in oceans, and how the bodies of ocean animals are built to help them glide through water. Other topics such as photosynthesis, tide pools, and coral reefs are briefly and simply explained. Children will be delighted by the images of seals, penguins, polar bears, dolphins, and more.
Coasts are areas of land next to oceans. Coasts can be sandy or rocky and have landforms such as cliffs, sea stacks, caves, and arches. Coasts can be next to open oceans or be sheltered in bays or coves. In this beautifully photographed book, Bobbie Kalman takes children on a tour of different coasts, where they can ride some breathtaking ocean waves or meet underwater animals that live in nearby coral reefs. Children will also be introduced to some amazing coastal cities and learn about famous coastal rock formations.
Why do people need rivers? What causes rivers to flood? These are just a few of the questions answered by this fascinating introduction to rivers by Bobbie Kalman. Topics include the paths of rivers, how rivers carve through rocks, types of rivers, waterfalls, headwaters, tributaries, estuaries, deltas, fiords, river plants and animals, people and rivers, and famous rivers.
In this fascinating book by Bobbie Kalman, children will learn about how mountains and islands form from volcanoes, how wind and rivers create canyons, how rivers and streams create underground caves, how ocean waves shape coasts, and how glaciers make valleys. They will enjoy looking for rock formations in the shapes of animals, trees, and even ghosts!
This fascinating book explains to young children why the land on Earth has different shapes in different places. Amazing photographs and illustrations show examples of continents, mountains, valleys, plains, and caves, as well as the forests, animals, and water that may be found on each landform. Simple text also describes what volcanoes are and how lava flows can create mountains. The role that weather, such as rain and strong wind, plays in shaping sand dunes, mesas, buttes, and canyons is also described.
Coasts are areas of land next to oceans. Coasts can be sandy or rocky and have landforms such as cliffs, sea stacks, caves, and arches. Coasts can be next to open oceans or be sheltered in bays or coves. In this beautifully photographed book, Bobbie Kalman takes children on a tour of different coasts, where they can ride some breathtaking ocean waves or meet underwater animals that live in nearby coral reefs. Children will also be introduced to some amazing coastal cities and learn about famous coastal rock formations.
This extraordinary book shows in a simple way how the Sun's light and warmth affect Earth. Children will be amazed to learn that the Sun is actually a star, and that its position and distance from the Earth cause day and night as well as changing weather and the seasons.
Best known as the home of the Inca as well as other ancient civilizations, Peru is dotted with the ruins of their ancient buildings. Children will be delighted to read about the ingenuity of these ancient people in Spotlight on Peru. From high up on Lake Titicaca where llamas roam, down to the Amazon River where jaguars live in the rainforests, the wonders of Peru are described through simple text. Wonderful photographs also capture the people of Peru today and their way of life.
Holidays, celebrations, and symbols are highlighted in this up-to-date fact-filled introduction to the United States. Spotlight on the United States of America looks at the colonial history of the U.S., its government, and some of its important leaders. Many colorful pictures, maps, and illustrations highlight the different regions, climates, cities, and wildlife of this fascinating country.
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 new book will blow readers away! Accessible text, interesting facts, and bright, colorful design create an engaging combination for young readers. Readers will discover how wind forms, its affect on people, plants, and animals, and the tools scientists use to measure wind direction and speed. A hands-on experiment teaches readers how to make a wind vane and use it to find the winds direction.
Weather changes from day to day and season to season. But what exactly is weather and how is it created? Readers will discover the answers to these questions and many other weather wonders. Bright, full-color photographs, inviting text, and engaging questions introduce readers to the different types of weather in our world and how it affects our lives.
From gentle showers to heavy downpours and slow flurries to hail, this appealing title will be a hit with readers rain or shine! Readers will learn the basic concepts of the water cycle, the features of different kinds of precipitation, and the role temperature has in determining what falls from our clouds.
Temperature is a measure of how hot or cold something is. Temperature affects our lives from the clothes we wear to the activities we do. This engaging and entertaining title inspires a solid understanding of this essential concept. Readers also discover how a thermometer is used to measure temperature using units called degrees.
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.
