Have you ever had a dream that seemed to come true? Or known a person’s thoughts before they said a word? You just might have extrasensory perception, or ESP! This book explores parapsychology, clairvoyance, and many experiments that set out to prove or disprove psychic powers. A narrative opening pulls the reader into the text, while helpful sidebars examine a famous experiment and the different types of ESP. Young readers can decide for themselves: is ESP fact or fraud?
Many are familiar with Andy Serkis’s groundbreaking motion capture role as Gollum in the Lord of the Rings film series. But motion capture has come a long way since it first began! This title introduces the technology behind motion capture, using many of today’s most popular movies as examples. Special features highlight famous uses of motion capture, and pioneer profiles introduce some of the most influential mocap filmmakers in history. This high-interest title is sure to capture the attention of readers!
Snowflakes float gently through the air. Aged cheeses add the perfect flavor to an afternoon snack. Gas stoves boil water for pasta. Each of these everyday objects contains crystals! They are in nature, in food, and in many of the appliances and electronics we use every day. This title explores the ins and outs of crystals, from how they are structured and how they form to how we use them. Special features such as a crystal profile, an activity, and several formation diagrams help readers understand the complex world of crystals!
Sedimentary rocks are the only type of rocks that contain fossils! But that’s not the only reason sedimentary rocks are important. Scientists study the rocks to learn about Earth’s history, while other people collect the rocks for use in construction, farming, and even art. This title introduces readers to these useful rocks, including information about how to identify them, how they form, and how people use them. Special features, including a profile, an activity, and formation diagrams, help highlight the key features of sedimentary rocks in this title for curious readers.
Metamorphic rocks form deep below Earth’s surface. Over thousands of years, they make their way to the surface. Then they are collected for use as building materials, sharpened tools, and even fertilizer! Interesting text and vivid photos engage readers in this fascinating book about metamorphic rocks. Additional special features, such as a rock profile, formation diagrams, and a rock cycle chart, will help underscore the key features of these useful rocks for confident students who are reading to learn.
Special effects have come a long way over the past century! Computer-generated visual effects are now par for the course, bringing spectacular worlds to screens big and small. This title explores the history of visual effects, starting with the very first uses of CGI in the 1970s to the present day, where just about anything is possible! This title includes engaging text and vibrant photos that are sure to grip young readers. Additional special features highlight early visual effects, introduce pioneers in the field, and show off some of the best uses in modern movies!
Get ready for a wild ride! From boats and planes to sports cars, vehicles have been used in movies since the dawn of film. Through gripping text and vibrant photos, this title explores some of the most famous on-screen vehicles in movie history. Special features introduce readers to movie pioneers, unique vehicles, and more. Whether you want to hit top speed in one of James Bond’s cruisers or learn how Herbie the Love Bug was chosen, this engaging book will take you along for the ride!
Time for a fossil hunt! Digging through a layer of sedimentary rock, scientists uncover many relics of prehistoric Earth. Tiny trilobites prove that a vast desert was once an ocean. Huge dinosaur fossils show where dinosaurs once roamed! With this title, readers will learn about the types of fossils, how they form, and why scientists study them today. This title includes engaging special features such as a fossil profile, a fossil comparison chart, formation diagrams, and more, all designed to introduce readers to the fascinating world of fossils.
For most of us, igneous rocks are no more than a stone’s throw away. These underrated rocks make up more than half of Earth’s crust! Not only that, but they have many uses in building, medicine, and other industries. This title dives deep into the properties, types, formation, and uses of igneous rocks. Special features designed to visually engage readers such as a profile, an activity, formation diagrams, and a rock cycle chart, complete this fact-filled read.
Twenty-five times faster than the speed of sound, rockets are high-speed space delivery machines. Every week, at least one rocket launches into space from somewhere in the world! This title will boost the knowledge of reluctant readers as it breaks down space rockets.
Icy winds whip snow into whiteout conditions. It’s a blizzard! These extreme winter storms can turn deadly if you’re not prepared. Bundle up and learn how to get ready for a blizzard and what to do if you get caught in one in this book for reluctant readers.
The Wright Brothers famously made the first flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. But the history of human flight goes back much further! This title details the experimentation and innovation that went into the creation of the airplane. Special features highlight important airplanes as well as pioneers who had a lasting influence on the world of air travel. Buckle up and prepare for takeoff! This exciting title is sure to interest anyone with a love of planes.
The 20th century approaches, and life is about to change forever! Inventors across the world race to invent and innovate automobile designs. Which ones will end up on top? Anyone who has ever ridden in a car will appreciate this fascinating title about how the automobile got its start. Fun facts, a timeline, and inventor and automobile profiles show the importance of this amazing invention!
Smartphones put a camera in just about everyone’s pocket, but it hasn’t always been so easy to take a snapshot. The 18th century brought a new innovation that allowed people to easily preserve a moment in time. That innovation carries on today! Through informative text, fun facts, and special features, this fascinating title explores how the camera was invented and how it continues to develop!
Many consider Thomas Edison the inventor of the light bulb, but this world-changing invention has a long history. Since the 19th century, many have worked to create and improve the light bulb. Starting from the light bulb’s early development all the way up to its modern uses, this informative title will fascinate anyone who wants to know about the invention that lights up the world!
Read all about it! The history of the printing press started centuries ago. Through the years, it has been used to share news, make books more affordable, and make information more accessible. And it still helps people communicate today! This title explores the history of the printing press, from its first use in the 1300s to uses tomorrow and beyond. Readers will use fun facts, profiles, and a timeline to learn all about how this life-changing invention got its start.
Not even a century ago, a computer took up an entire room. Today, a computer can fit inside your pocket! Over decades of technological advancement, the personal computer has shaped the world in ways that are still being determined. This powerful invention has changed everything from the way people communicate to how we entertain ourselves. With a series of fun facts, profiles, and a timeline, this title will fascinate anyone who has ever booted up.
Reports of haunted houses go back to ancient Rome. People who claim to have witnessed hauntings tell of strange sounds, objects that move on their own, and ethereal spirits. Readers will learn about the history of hauntings, why skeptics claim they are not real, and how researchers use technology to try and find proof of these unwanted visitors in our homes!
Does a giant sea monster live beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland? Reachers have used cameras, sonar, and other technology in hopes of finding this legendary creature. This title explores the mystery of the Loch Ness Monster, the tools and technology used to search for it, and examines the evidence gathered to date, letting the reader make their own conclusion about the existence of this beast beneath the water.
Creaking doors, gusts of wind, eerie sounds--could these be the signs of ghosts? Ghost hunters have tried for years to prove the existence of ghosts through photos, videos, and sound recordings. This book investigates reports of ghosts, illuminates the tools and technology used to search for ghosts, and leaves the reader wondering whether or not there are spirits among us!
Most sightings of unidentified flying objects can be explained--but not all of them. Those that cannot be are the focus of investigation by UFO researchers. They use video cameras, binoculars, radar, and other technology together with eyewitness accounts to try and identify strange objects in the sky. Students who read this title will find themselves later wondering: what is that strange object in the sky?
About 120,000 pounds of space dust falls to Earth every day. All of this dust comes from asteroids! Asteroids are chunks of rock and metal that orbit around the sun, but some venture near Earth from outside the solar system. Through detailed photos and fact-filled graphics, this title introduces readers to the phenomenon of asteroids.
Reports of Bigfoot go back to the early 1800s. Since then, several footprints, films, and pictures have been used as evidence that Sasquatch roams the Pacific Northwest. This title examines the history of Bigfoot reports, the tools and technology used by researchers, and considers whether or not Bigfoot exists.
The action of the big screen--car crashes, torrential rainfall, ships sinking--is the work of special effects! Directors and crews use anything they can to create a real and captivating experience. Enormous models, airplane engines, controlled fires, and much more create the excitement we all crave! Young readers will marvel over this behind-the-scenes look at how movies are made.
During the filming of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter’s scar was painted on 5,800 times! About 2,000 of those were painted on Daniel Radcliffe who played Harry Potter. This title explores the makeup, tools, and effects used to create everything from the scariest of monsters to the most elegant ladies.
