Presents an unabridged selection from the story about a victim of the Spanish Inquisition who is imprisoned in a dark pit where a gradually lowering blade swings closer to him with each pass.
Suppressing her suspicions of his criminal involvement, Chelsey, a wheelchair-bound eyewitness to murder, asks Jack, an enigmatic boy with punk green hair and a bad reputation, to help her expose the
Introduces vampire lore and some of the scientific and historical facts behind the legends and includes a fictional story about the search for a vampire.
Introduces plants with unique or unusual features, such as those that eat meat and those that produce poisons, and includes a fictional story featuring carnivorous plants.
Introduces the history of exploration and focuses on notable explorers and their discoveries, in a book that includes a fictional account of the first astronaut to reach the stars.
Introduces the history of disasters in civilization, both of natural and man-made origin, in a book that includes a fictional account of a town in the path of a volcano.
A look at endangered species and what is being done to protect rare animals is accompanied by a fictional story about Julie, an orangutan who was saved from poachers, raised in captivity, and reintrod
An introduction to the dinosaurs, including what they ate, where they lived, and what killed them off, also features a short story about two children who travel back in time while hunting for fossils.
Answers questions about the origin of the universe, time travel, and other diverse subjects and includes a fictional story featuring a boy who finds out his universe is part of a computer program.
Describes speed, including the history of humankind's speed records on land, water, and in the air, in a book that includes a fictional account of a rally racing team.
Introduces twelve of Earth's most unusual places, from the Bermuda Triangle to the Tower of London and includes a fictional story about a lost tribe of very small men.
Introduces six deadly things related to the sea, including sharks, pirates, and tsunamis, in a text that includes a fictional story about two divers and a potential shark attack.
Trying to juggle his job at "Taste of Italy" along with writing papers for school and his graduation requirement to volunteer at the Golden Oaks Retirement Home, class clown Derrick uses humor to get
A young boy and his father make the difficult journey to the gold fields of the Klondike, in a story that includes information on the Klondike gold rush and the rise of the town of Dawson.
Covers the process of criminal investigations, from the crime scene to the courtroom, and describes the scientific methods used in witness and suspect interrogation, fingerprinting, and DNA.
Presents the original text of Shakespeare's play side by side with a modern version, discusses the author and the theater of his time, and provides quizzes and other study activities.
While visiting an abandoned mine on a field trip from school, Steven John senses a presence in the mine and hears the voice of a ghost named Caleb, a slave who died while in the mine, and vows to rele
Aletha Dunne and her glamourous but irresponsible Aunt Monique are only planning a pleasant drive in the mountains, but a series of mishaps soon leaves them stranded in the wilderness.
After seeing Javier on the other side of the Rio Grande in Mexico, Michael starts to write him letters and then helps Javier cross the river to come into the United States.
After being adopted by Michael's family and moving from Mexico to Dallas, Javier tries to adapt to life in the United States but realizes he misses his old life in Vera Cruz, Mexico.
Sam finds himself missing his grandfather and his stories about his experiences during World War II as he tries to adjust to life in a new town and a new school.
An angry Jordan Ames and his best friend, Lee Lewis, skip school for the day but find themselves trapped when Jordan's shabby old car breaks down during a sudden blizzard.
An orphan boy from Boston travels on an "orphan train" to Michigan, where he is adopted by a farmer and his wife, but they soon leave the farm for the copper mines of the Upper Peninsula.
Hoping to improve on his "D" in English and retain his eligibility for the football team, class clown Derrick trys to do what is necessary to bring his grade up to an acceptable level.
In Florida during the First Seminole War, eleven-year-old Tilly and her family, slaves on the Miller Plantation, try to reach St. Augustine in hopes of gaining their freedom.
Describes some of the pets who have shared the White House with various presidents, including Thomas Jefferson's mockingbird, Abraham Lincoln's goats, Warren Harding's dog, and John Kennedy's hamsters
When Aaron Hayes and his family move into a house in rural Florida inherited from a great-uncle, Aaron hears the sound of crying and has nightmares of his uncle's much younger wife, who disappeared ye
