All these everyday things and many more are only here because someone bothered to invent them. This book reveals the real-life stories and bright sparks behind dozens of brilliant inventions.

    Born in Grandview, Indiana, Bill Peet nurtured his childhood drawing talent and was awarded a scholarship to the John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis, where he studied painting and design. After a brief apprenticeship period, he went to work for Walt Disney as a sketch artist, eventually becoming a screenwriter and helping to produce such beloved films as Fantasia, 101 Dalmations, and Peter Pan. In 1959 Bill Peet published his first book, Hubert's Hair-Raising Adventure, going on to write and illustrate over thirty successful books for children.

    His most famous was the "Clermont," a steamboat he launched on the Hudson. Here is his boyhood.

    Selecting the best of our literary heritage, Baldwin cast it into a form that delights children of all ages. Beginning with stories of heroes from British history, including King Alfred and the Cakes, King Canute on the Seashore, and Bruce and the Spider, the book moves on to tales of other lands. From Ancient Greece come stories of The Brave Three Hundred, Alexander and Bucepahlus, and Diogenes the Wise Man. Introducing the history of Rome are the Story of Cincinnatus, Horatius at the Bridge, and Julius Caesar. The stories of William Tell, Arnold Winkelried, and Robin Hood impart a bit of the flavor of the Middle Ages. Rounding out the collection are a number of timeless tales that show heroes in action: Damon and Pythias, The Sword of Damocles, Picciola, and The King and His Hawk.Children naturally take a deep interest in such stories. The reading of them will not only give pleasure but will help to lay the foundation for broader literary studies since nearly all are the subjects of frequent allusions in poetry and prose. Young children will enjoy having these stories read to them, while older children will delight in reading them to themselves.Book Details: Format: Paperback Publication Date: 11/1/2005 Pages: 200

    This series meets National Curriculum Standards for: Science: History and Nature of Science Social Studies: Time, Continuity, & Change

    It’s a reading adventure that’s out of this world!

    Surveys the life of Benjamin Franklin, highlighting his work as an inventor and statesman.

    Each book uses humorous illustrations to depict the sometimes dark and horrific side of life during important eras in history. As a member of the group, you will get an insider's look at what life was like in the ice age as you follow the migratory routes of your prey--mammoths. Learn what tools and weapons are used for hunting, how you prepare for your hunt by holding a sacred ceremony, how to make shelter on the barren tundra, how to catch the woolly beasts, and how your journey has taken you from Asia and Europe to North America via a frozen land bridge

    This colourful book explores the exciting worlds of mountains, jungles and deserts, their dramatic landscapes, the animals and plants that inhabit them and the people who live in the most beautiful and remote areas of the earth.

    Here is the unforgettable story of fifty-five Americans and the Constitution they created in 1787 to give the struggling new government a foundation that has held ever since.With accurate historical information, this 48-page nonfiction picture book tells why and how the Constitution of the United States was created. A More Perfect Union includes a map and back matter with a table of dates and a summary of the Articles of the Constitution."A simple, attractive, informative book about a milestone in American history. The simplest and most accessible history of the Constitution to date."—School Library Journal

    But we owe nearly as much to Galen, a physician born in 129 A.D. at the height of the Roman Empire. Galen's acute diagnoses of patients, his botanical wisdom and studies of physiology were recorded in numerous books, handed down through the Middle Ages and Renaissance. He developed sports medicine, doctoring gladiators. Not least, Galen passed on the medical tradition of respect for life. In this fascinating biography for young people, Jeanne Bendick brings Galen's Roman world alive with the clarity, humor, and outstanding content we enjoyed in Archimedes and the Door to Science. An excellent addition to schools, libraries, and homes; ideal for home education.

    Sticks Across the Chimney--a Story of Denmark , By Nora Burglon

    How do you know what type of clouds can forecast a change of weather? Read and find out.

    Thomas Edison also invented the phonograph and an early form of motion pictures. This is the amazing story of his life---and of his inventions that changed the world.

    Full-color illustrations with silver foil highlights.