A snake park in the Sultanate of Oman has a serious problem: all but one of their snakes have died. The owner of the park has hired a 'snake detective' to uncover the mystery of the dying snakes. Wh
Farmers in India are having a serious problem. A local animal is eating their food. However, the farmers cannot hurt the animal because it has a special name. How can a name protect an animal? What wi
Polar bears one of the largest and most dangerous hunters in the cold regions of the North. Their bodies are built for winter and they do best in the coldest areas. Unfortunately, polar bears are be
Archaeologists study old cities and buildings to learn about cultures and people. An archaeologist in Guatemala has searched for one city for twenty years. He thinks the buildings there may tell him a
There have been souks, or markets, in Middle Eastern and Arab cities for hundreds of years. People can buy food, clothes, shoes, and much more in them. But, there are no prices on the items. How are p
Two people from the United States have developed an efficient and healthy way to cook using the sun. Solar cooking good for the environment and is also extremely helpful to people in certain countrie
Cheju, South Korea, is known for its traditional women divers. They have long dived into the ocean to look for seafood. It's dangerous, but there were no other jobs available. Now, women in Cheju have
Long ago, people in Hawaii, performed a special dance called the 'hula.' Then, for more than 60 years, the dance was not allowed. Finally, after many years, a new king returned the hula to the people.
In some areas of Cambodia, there are few people around. Because of this, people go there to catch and kill animals illegally for food or for sale. If these animals don't get help, there will soon be
Machu Picchu is a beautiful old city in Peru. It was forgotten for many years, but now many people are visiting it. Some people think that too many visitors may not be good for the city. What will hap
Elephants are social animals. In nature, they live happily in family groups. However, people sometimes use elephants for work or put them in zoos. What can people do to make these elephants healthy a
Peter May has the unique job of reconstructing dinosaurs for museum displays. He works with a team using real dinosaur bones as well as artificial bones to create these giant creatures. How did Peter
The first trip outside of a spacecraft, or 'spacewalk', was completed in 1965. Since then many astronauts have participated in spacewalks, but spacewalking does not come without its risks and challeng
In Shark Alley, South Africa, people often go underwater in protected environments to watch sharks in their natural surroundings. Some people believe this makes the sharks more violent. Others feel th
People often visit aquariums to see sea creatures in their natural environment, but in Baltimore, a local program brings aquarium exhibits to people. Local teenagers travel to schools and libraries t
Most crocodiles live above ground but an unusual group of crocodiles in Africa lives underground, in caves. A team of scientists will go to Madagascar to learn more about these crocodiles. Will they
Ming is an artist from China who now lives and works in New York City. He teaches children in the public school system how to draw and paint. However, he also teaches them something else that's very i
Sanaa is a beautiful old city in the Middle East. In Sanaa, it is a tradition to carry beautiful knives, or tools, called 'jambiya'. An unusual animal called a 'rhinoceros' is often killed to make t
The Orinoco River is one of the longest rivers in the world. Many lives depend on this river. Many people, animals and plants live in or near the water. However, things are changing on the Orinoco. Wh
Snow is very important for Dan Raedeke. The success of his business depends on it. But this year, it's too warm for natural snow, and Dan needs help. He needs a little 'snow magic'! What is Dan's busi
Trinidad and Tobago is famous for its beautiful birds. One man has made it his life's work to study them. He's trying to photograph all of the 460 types of birds on the island. But there's one specia
Essouira is a beautiful old town by the sea. Most local people are fishermen. However, the number of fish has gone down. Now, there are not as many jobs for the people. How will the fisherman make mon
Camogli is a small town in Italy. People there often paint in a special style called 'trompe l'oeil.' These paintings are so good, viewers think they're real things, but they're not. They're paintings
Welcome the sights and sounds of the world with the Footprint Reading Library. This content-based reading series presents fascinating real-world stories in three formats: print, audio, and video from
Every year, the city of Shirone, Japan goes 'kite crazy' during a five-day local festival. In this highly competitive contest, teams fly kites and fight to force each other's kites from the sky. This
Humboldt squids, or 'Red Devils,' are the world's largest animal without a backbone. These sometimes dangerous creatures live in the deep waters of the Gulf of California. A researcher and professiona
The Arctic region of Canada is home to a huge depression in the earth called the Haughton Crater. A group of explorers has come to the area to explore the challenges expected when traveling to Mars. W
People from all over the world love to visit a street in Barcelona, Spain called 'the Ramblas'. This walking-only street is centrally located and full of interesting artists, performers, and other ent
Every year, the city of Shirone, Japan goes 'kite crazy' during a five-day local festival. In this highly competitive contest, teams fly kites and fight to force each other's kites from the sky. This
Every year, over 500 cowboys and cowgirls gather in western Canada. They want to test their rodeo skills at the famous Calgary Stampede. This year, two cowboys intend to win one of the most exciting
In Thailand, boxing is an important sport. Thai boys start training to become boxers at a very young age. They all want to win and become the best; a real champion. Thai boxing offers these boys ma
In Africa, there is a group of people called 'Bushmen.' These people know a lot about wild animals. However, sometimes they can't tell others about the animals, because they don't speak the same langu
A volcano is a mountain with a large hole at the top. Active volcanoes can be dangerous because they can erupt, or produce very hot, melted rock. In Sicily, there are several towns near a large volcan
Puffins are a kind of bird that lives in Iceland. Each year baby puffins, or pufflings, leave their homes to find the sea. Sometimes the pufflings get lost and cannot find their way. Groups of people
In France, some people earn money by selling a special food called a 'truffel'. Truffles can be found in the woods, however they are very rare and expensive. That's why they are sometimes called 'blac
Christopher Columbus lived in Europe in the 1400s. He wanted to find a new way to travel from Europe to Asia by sea. So Columbus went on a long sea trip, but he didn't know what he would find. What ha
This story is about water sports in the Columbia River. Cory Roeseler lives near the river and he loves water, sports, and going fast! Roeseler also likes to make new things. What does Roeseler do wit
Horseback riding is a very important tradition in Mongolia. Each year the people there have a race to celebrate this tradition. However, the race is a little unusual. What kind of race is it? Why is i
