Our modern world runs on energy to power our homes and industries. We all know the problems with burning fossil fuels to create energy— it pollutes the planet and we are running out of these resources. Discover the facts about renewable and non-renewable energy resources, how our energy use contributes to global warming, and what the future of energy looks like.
Climate change is reshaping the planet before our eyes. From melting ice caps and rising sea levels to drought and destructive hurricanes, no corner of Earth is protected from the effects of global warming. Discover the facts about what climate change is doing—and will continue to do—to our planet, and how we might reduce its impact.
The huge variety of plants and animals that live on Earth is called biodiversity. As ecosystems are destroyed by climate change and human activity, plants and animals are becoming endangered and even extinct. Find out how the loss of biodiversity affects food chains and natural habitats, why it is important to humans, and how its loss threatens the health of all living things on the planet.
Our views and opinions on many things are heavily influenced by our culture and what we see in the media. They can even shape how we see ourselves, including what is an acceptable or desirable body. Using relatable examples, this timely title explores the body image messages we receive from movies, video games, magazines, and social media, and how they affect our self-esteem.
Cultural beliefs surrounding illness and societal beliefs about how we should offer health care are discussed in this fascinating addition to the Our Values series. Discussions about the treatment of common diseases, as well as topics of interest, such as how a cast is made, are compared and contrasted with the way health care is provided throughout the world.
What are moral and legal rights and how are they recognized in our society? This engaging title explores what having “rights” means, while pointing out that we can’t have rights without also having responsibilities. A discussion about standing up for your rights will help readers understand the importance of individual rights and how they must be protected.
In this age of fast-paced social media, news and views are shared throughout the world in seconds. This timely title critically examines the elements of journalism, truth and perspective, sources of news, as well as bias and objectivity to help readers make informed choices about the accuracy of news and information. Readers will gain an understanding of what journalism is and how the medium can shape the message being presented.
Go ahead, buy it. You know you want it.…How susceptible are you to tactics of subtle encouragement or even outright manipulation used by media and advertising? Power and Persuasion in Media and Advertising is a critical introduction to how marketing and advertising works to convince consumers to buy products or believe in certain ideas. Readers will learn about persuasion, credible marketing, and how their tastes and opinions are targeted and shaped from an early age.
Do you see people who look and talk like you in media? Are the people who have the most influence on you your age, gender, ethnicity, or even body type? How do we understand ourselves if we don’t see ourselves represented in the world? Representation in Media takes a careful look at how point of view is crafted to represent the views and ideologies of just a portion of the population, and why lack of diversity in media should matter to us all.
At a time when much of the United States was still racially segregated, Jackie Robinson smashed the color barrier to become the first African-American player in Major League Baseball. Born in 1919 to a family of sharecroppers, Robinson excelled in sports throughout his school years. After serving briefly in the army during WWII, he briefly played ball in the Negro Leagues. At about the same time, a handful of all-white Major League teams paid lip service to trying out black players. But it was when Robinson played his first game for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 that he became a part of what would be called "The Noble Experiment." Outspoken in the past when it came to racial injustice, Robinson endured racist jeers from fans and players, and even death threats, with dignity and composure. His historic feat of crossing baseball's "color line" became a symbol in the American civil rights movement in the decades that followed.
What happens to your old phone or computer when you need an upgrade? What rights does the worker who built your phone have? This thought-provoking title helps readers discover the answers to these questions and many more. Find out about the links between supply, demand, and labor conditions, and the resources that are needed to build just one computer.
In this interesting title, readers learn about the process of manufacturing toys and the materials that are used. Environmental issues and working conditions are revealed, shedding new light on where todays childrens favorite toys come from. Readers will also learn about new efforts companies are making to provide their workers with fair wages and safe working conditions around the world.
This fascinating title chronicles the U.S. bombing of these Japanese cities during World War II. Topics include the development of the atomic bomb, Truman's decision to drop the bombs, and the long-term consequences of this historical event. Primary source accounts present reactions from both sides.
The forced removal of the Cherokee from their land changed not only the lives of the Native people, but also the course of American history. This gripping title examines the events leading up to the removal of the Cherokee from their native lands, the suffering endured on the Trail of Tears, and the struggles they faced once reaching their new land in present-day Oklahoma. The book also includes information about the Cherokee nation today.
This engaging title begins with a recount of the events of October 29, 1929, better known as Black Thursday, to mark the dawn of the Great Depression era. Readers will discover the causes of the depression, its affect on people across North America, and how governments responded to it. Readers will also draw comparisons to modern-day economic trials.
This modern-day pirate tale details the recent hijacking and daring rescue of the Maersk Alabama and places its gripping story in context with the evolution of piracy on the high seas.
In 1692, two young girls in Salem, Massachusetts, were diagnosed by the local doctor as being bewitched. Hysteria over witchcraft reached a fever pitch leading the Puritan townsfolk to accuse friends and neighbors of being under Satan's influence. This book tells the unbelievable, yet true, story of how innocent people were jailed on the evidence of dreams and visions, and how the legal system allowed nineteen people to be hanged before the governor of the state brought the people of Salem to their senses.
First-hand accounts, historical photographs, and engaging text combine to explore the experiences of immigrants to North America during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This fascinating title details the reasons for immigration and the challenges faced and contributions made by immigrants. In addition to Ellis Island, Angel Island, Grosse-isle, Quebec, and other immigration points in North America are discussed.
On January 24, 1848 a man named James W. Marshall found gold at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. This compelling title explains how Marshalls discovery sparked gold fever and lured thousands of people west in search of great fortunes. Primary source accounts and historical photographs trace the history of the gold rush in California as well as the later Klondike gold rush.
This title takes us behind the scenes into president Abraham Lincoln's decision to end slavery 150 years ago.
As the 50th anniversary of the 1963 march for Civil Rights in Washington, D.C. approaches, this timely book looks at its organization, the key players, and why it is still relevant today.
This fascinating title takes the reader to one of the most isolated prisons on the planet where some America's worst criminals were held. This is the story of how Alcatraz was created, what it was like to live there, and why it was virtually impossible to escape from.
Prescription and over-the-counter medications are the most commonly abused drugs by high school students after marijuana. One in five young people abuses prescription meds - cotton, rits, beans, tuss, and bricks - street names for these non-street drugs. Street Pharma looks at this growing problem and gives young readers the information they need to say no before they start using or find help to quit when they've become addicted.
A recent survey on drug use recorded 729,000 youths 12 years of age or older who had used inhalants and solvents for the first time within the past year. These substances, along with prescription and over-the-counter medications, can be found in almost every home and have become an easy-access entry point to drug use for young people. This important book carefully examines the facts and fiction about "huffing," and provides information on addiction and treatment, as well as useful alternatives to drug use.
Party drugs are a group of drugs used by young people at parties, clubs, concerts, and events. From ecstasy to GHB and ketamine, party drugs have a popular reputation for not being as harmful as other hard street drugs, but they are just as dangerous and addictive. This informative book details the history of these drugs and how they became so popular. A special section provides readers with useful resources for fighting addiction and remaining drug free.
