Never underestimate the power of the father! You may think you know all the tricks, but ten-year-old Alec Greven knows that when it comes to dads, you have to be on your toes. Some dads are strict,
Pioneering oceanographer Curtis Ebbesmeyer unravels the mystery of marine currents, uncovers the astonishing story of flotsam, and changes the world's view of trash, the ocean, and our global enviro
Look around to see what uses oil—cars, airplanes, boats, factories, and countless other machines. The world is dependent on oil as its main source of energy. Although oil is plentiful right now, the s
Lincoln's Men is the first narrative portrait of the three young men who served as Lincoln's secretaries during the Civil War. John Nicolay and John Hay lived in the White House, across the hall fro
Abigail Adams was the wife of John Adams, the nation's second president. Abigail had strong opinions about war, politics, and the rights of women—and she wasn't shy about expressing them. Few women in
Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgang Gottlieb Mozart was only three years old—not much bigger than his name—on the day his life changed forever. So begins this vivid biography about one of t
Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgang Gottlieb Mozart was only three years old—not much bigger than his name—on the day his life changed forever. So begins this vivid biography about one of t
The inside story of how people invented and refined the airplane. Who were aviation's dreamers and from where did they draw their inspiration? What lessons did inventors learn from birds, insects, ma
In 2002, an ancient limestone box called the James Ossuary was trumpeted on the world's front pages as the first material evidence of the existence of Jesus Christ. Today it is exhibit number one in a
Do you ever wake up and wonder what the weather will be? Instead of turning on the TV to find out, you can just look out your window at the clouds. How do you know what type of clouds can forecast a c
Righting the Mother Tongue tells the cockamamie story of English spelling. When did ghost acquire its silent 'h'? Will cyberspace kill the one in rhubarb? And was it really rocket scientists who inve
A man, a microphone, and a dream When he opened his tiny recording studio in New York in 1940, Moses Asch had a larger-than-life dream: To document and record all the sounds of his time. He created F
Nine years ago, French architect Jean-Pierre Houdin became obsessed by the centuries-old mystery of how the Great Pyramid was built. For ten hours a day, he labored at his computer to create exquisit
Designed to provide a reminder of life’s happiest moments, each page of this enthralling volume provides a stirring thought, idea, or quote. Accompanying the text are corresponding Bible passages and
The image of the Baron de Steuben training Washington's ragged, demoralized troops in the snow at Valley Forge is part of the iconography of our Revolutionary heritage, but most history fans know lit
Why do we see pigeons as lowly urban pests and how did they become such common city dwellers? Courtney Humphries traces the natural history of the pigeon, recounting how these shy birds that once made
More than just the tale of one flag and one song, The Star-Spangled Banner is the story of how Americans—often in times of crisis—have expressed their patriotism and defined their identity through the
This first-of-its-kind, definitive book offers a fascinating textual and visual tour of civilian, military, and commercial aviation from the earliest balloon flights to today's most advanced aircraft.
It's the stuff of nightmares, the dark inspiration for literature and film. But astonishingly, cannibalism does exist, and in Among the Cannibals travel writer Paul Raffaele journeys to the far corn
Eruptions. Explosions. Shock waves. Tsunamis. The almighty explosion that destroyed the volcano island of Krakatoa was followed by an immense tsunami that killed more than thirty thousand pe
In How Math Explains the World, mathematician Stein reveals how seemingly arcane mathematical investigations and discoveries have led to bigger, more world-shaking insights into the nature of our worl
The time: 1936-1938. The mood: Hopeful. It wasn't wartime, not yet. The music: The incomparable Count Basie and Benny Goodman, among others. The setting: Living rooms across America and, most of all
Welcome to the Big Apple! From A to Z, the city that never sleeps has something to offer everyone! Come visit the American Museum of Natural History and see prehistoric Animals, get a Bird's-eye v
Volcanoes are one of nature's great wonders. For years they can stand dormant, but once active they can erupt in tremendous explosions of power. Some eruptions are so big, they change the earth's clim
In this compelling narrative, renowned historian Roy Morris, Jr., expertly offers a new angle on two of America's most towering politicians and the intense personal rivalry that transformed both the
George Washington wrote an astonishing number of letters, both personal and professional. The majority - about 140,000 documents - are from his years as commander in chief during the Revolutionary Wa
This epic story opens at the hour the Greatest Generation went to war on December 7, 1941,and follows four U.S. Navy ships and their crews in the Pacific until their day of reckoning three years late
Spiders are one of the most familiar animals in the natural world, yet their biology and lifestyles are poorly known to the general public. The large orb webs in vegetation are a good indicator of t
Dog lovers do not need to be reminded that dogs are astonishing creatures, but recent research shows that they are even more amazing than anyone knew. Dogs draws on the last several decades of studi
For hundreds of years people have wanted to fly. Countless tried and failed, but now flying is very common. Read and find out about the many obstacles that have been overcome so planes and people can
A children's series endorsed by the Smithsonian Institution answers questions kids ask about subjects that are of interest to them, while each title also provides links to Smithsonian websites, interv
Some fifty years ago, while a cub reporter, Jay Barbree caught space fever the night that Sputnik passed over Georgia. He moved to the then-sleepy village of Cocoa Beach, Florida, right outside Cape
Take along the "Rough Guide Latin American Spanish Phrasebook" and make some new friends while on your trip. This brand-new title includes 16-pages of scenario material; available as downloadabl
Hurricanes. Typhoons. Cyclones. No matter what you call them, these formidable, swirling storms are the most devastating events in nature. hurricanes takes young readers on an in-depth exploration of
What goes up must come down. Everybody knows that. But what is it that pulls everything from rocks to rockets toward the center of the earth? It's gravity. Nobody can say exactly what it is, but gravi
This little volume introduces readers to a collection of cats who've made their homes in England's ecclesiastical sites and communities—from ancient ruins, like Fountains Abbey and Tintern, to
