Book picks similar to
Boy Who Dreamed of Rockets: How Robert Goddard Became the Father of the Space Age by Robert M. Quackenbush
biography
goddard
history-american
reshelving-alexandria
La Doctora: An American Doctor In The Amazon
Linnea Smith - 1998
Linnea Smith went to Peru on an ecotourism vacation. She was so moved that she abandoned her thriving medical practice in Wisconsin to serve the Yagua Indians in the deepest part of the Amazon rainforest of Peru-alone.Taken straight from the pages of Dr. Smith’s journal, La Doctora offers readers a rare glimpse into the suspense and drama of practicing medicine in a culture far removed from the sophisticated supplies and supports of 20th-century medicine.Learn how Dr. Smith evolved from a “strange white woman” to an adopted member of the indigenous community. Her story of adventure, self-discovery and service creates inspiring testimony to one person’s power to make a lasting difference.
I Am Neil Armstrong
Brad Meltzer - 2018
Each book tells the story of one of America's icons in a lively, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers and that always includes the hero's childhood influences. At the back are an excellent timeline and photos. This volume tells the story of Neil Armstrong from his childhood on a farm to a career as an engineer and pilot and how he became the first person on the moon. All of the small steps he took in life--even his failures--led up to his steps on the moon.
Founding Gardeners: The Revolutionary Generation, Nature, and the Shaping of the American Nation
Andrea Wulf - 2011
Andrea Wulf reveals for the first time this aspect of the revolutionary generation. She describes how, even as British ships gathered off Staten Island, George Washington wrote his estate manager about the garden at Mount Vernon; how a tour of English gardens renewed Thomas Jefferson’s and John Adams’s faith in their fledgling nation; how a trip to the great botanist John Bartram’s garden helped the delegates of the Constitutional Congress break their deadlock; and why James Madison is the forgotten father of American environmentalism. These and other stories reveal a guiding but previously overlooked ideology of the American Revolution.Founding Gardeners adds depth and nuance to our understanding of the American experiment and provides us with a portrait of the founding fathers as they’ve never before been seen.
The Boy Who Invented the Popsicle: The Cool Science Behind Frank Epperson's Famous Frozen Treat
Anne Renaud - 2019
Since inventing begins with experimenting, Frank spends a lot of time in his “laboratory” (i.e. his back porch) trying out his ideas, such as building a double-handled handcar that whizzes past the single-handled cars in his neighborhood. What Frank loves most, though, is experimenting with liquids. When he invents his own yummy flavored soda water drink, his friends love it! And this gets him to thinking: “I wonder what this drink would taste like frozen?” Though he doesn't yet realize it, his curiosity will lead to his best invention ever: the Popsicle!In this innovative picture book, Anne Renaud tells a lively story inspired by a real person and true events. Budding scientists will be inspired to emulate the way Frank follows his curiosity, works hard and never gives up --- a growth mindset in action. Interwoven within the story are full-page illustrated instructions for four science experiments that Frank performs, so readers can try them at home or school. Thoroughly researched back matter provides additional historical notes, photos and a bibliography. This readable book covers social studies topics including early twentieth-century history and inventions and inventors, as well as science topics, such as simple chemistry experiments and an overview of the skills and strategies of scientific inquiry.
The Girl Who Named Pluto: The Story of Venetia Burney
Alice B. McGinty - 2019
She is studying the planets in school and loves Roman mythology. "It might be called Pluto," she says, thinking of the dark underworld. Grandfather loves the idea and contacts his friend at London's Royal Astronomical Society, who writes to scientists at the Lowell Observatory in Massachusetts, where Pluto was discovered. After a vote, the scientists agree unanimously: Pluto is the perfect name for the dark, cold planet. Here is a picture book perfect for STEM units and for all children--particularly girls--who have ever dreamed of becoming a scientist.
Starstruck: The Cosmic Journey of Neil Degrasse Tyson
Kathleen Krull - 2018
He couldn't believe the crowded, glittering night sky at the planetarium was real--until a visit to the country years later revealed the impossible.That discovery was like rocket fuel for Neil's passion about space. His quest for knowledge took him from the roof of his apartment building to a science expedition in northwest Africa, to a summer astronomy camp beneath a desert sky, and finally back home to become the director of the Hayden Planetarium, where it all began. Before long, Neil became America's favorite guide to the cosmos.This story of how one boy's quest for knowledge about space leads him to become a star scientist is perfect for young readers who are fascinated by the universe, aspiring scientists, and the dreamer in all of us. It will ignite your own sense of wonder.
War Boy: A Country Childhood
Michael Foreman - 1990
His illustrations evoke the horror and beauty of blazing buildings and the comforts of childhood amid the shortages.
Along Came Galileo
Jeanne Bendick - 1999
It was Galileo s questioning mind which drove him to monumental breathroughs in astronomy, physics, mechanics, and the natural world. Learn all about this figure in this brand new book packed with many of the author s original pen drawings, pictures and illustrations. Author: Jeanne BendickReading Level: Grades 4-6Format: 95 pages, Paperback Publisher: Beautiful Feet BooksISBN: 978-1893103016
15 Smart Animals From Around the World
Selena Dale - 2014
Do you have any idea what animal can paint a recognizable figure on a canvass using a paintbrush? Do you know of any animal that can teach themselves how to open canned food? How about those that can play computer games, solve math problems and logical puzzles just like humans…or even better than humans? The fun does not stop there.Any idea what animal has razor sharp memory that can recognize the meaning of a word or a face from years ago? And of course there is the animal that communicates by singing lengthy songs. If another animal of the same species hears the song, it will repeat the exact same song as a response! And speaking of songs, let’s not forget the animal who can sing lullabies while nursing her young. This Book Has Amazing Facts & Photos of 15 Incredibly Smart Animals. For centuries, understanding how animals act and think has always been a very intriguing topic for scientists. After all, though humans are branded to be the most intelligent species on the planet, it is undeniable that our fellow occupants in the animal kingdom have their own fascinating brainpower, instincts and unique survival tactics to boast. Just as humans have a unique way to communicate; other creatures have also forged special ways to understand each other and to respond to their environments. Scientists did countless laboratory experiments to capture not just their communicating abilities but also their feelings and emotions, learning processes, memory capacity, and their ability to use tools or even to pick up a foreign language.This book is fully illustrated and has simple blocks of text that will make learning fun for your child.The following animals are featured:
Spiders
Ants
Sea Lions
Crows
Raccoons
Horses
Falcons
Cats
Squirrels
Elephants
Dogs
Whales
Dolphins
Pigs
Chimpanzees
Yours kids can have fun while learning!Prepare to learn the most astonishing facts about how these animals stand out from the rest in terms of intelligence.This book is part of a series called, "Weird & Wonderful Animals" all of which are great for bedtime reading. Collect the series!
The Stuff Between the Stars: How Vera Rubin Discovered Most of the Universe
Sandra Nickel - 2021
Vera Rubin was one of the astronomers who discovered and named dark matter, the thing that keeps the universe hanging together. Throughout her career she was never taken seriously as a scientist because she was one of the only female astronomers at that time, but she didn’t let that stop her. She made groundbreaking and incredibly significant discoveries that scientists have only recently been able to really appreciate—and she changed the way that we look at the universe.
The 25 Weirdest Animals in the World! Amazing facts, photos and video links to the strangest creatures on the planet. (Amazing Animals Series)
I.P. Factly - 2012
Using video links, IP Factly's Amazing Animal series has been designed to encourage and bolster independent reading. The animals are accompanied by pictures and facts plus video links so children can see the animals and how they behave.
A Kite for Moon
Jane Yolen - 2019
Y. Stemple, tells a heartfelt story about a young boy's fascination and unlikely friendship with the moon. With whimsical illustrations by award-winning artist Matt Phelan, the story begins when the little boy, who is flying his kite, notices a sad Moon. He sends up kites to her, even writing notes to Moon promising he will come see her someday. This promise propels him through years and years of studying, learning, and training to be an astronaut! Dedicated to Neil Armstrong, and a perfect children's book to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first United States moon landing, the cover of this book will captivate readers with eye-catching spot UV, foil, and embossing.
Building the H Bomb: A Personal History
Kenneth W. Ford - 2015
He worked with - and relaxed with - scientific giants of that time such as Edward Teller, Enrico Fermi, Stan Ulam, John von Neumann, and John Wheeler, and here offers illuminating insights into the personalities, the strengths, and the quirks of these men. Well known for his ability to explain physics to nonspecialists, Ford also brings to life the physics of fission and fusion and provides a brief history of nuclear science from the discovery of radioactivity in 1896 to the ten-megaton explosion of “Mike” that obliterated a Pacific Island in 1952. Ford worked at both Los Alamos and Princeton's Project Matterhorn, and brings out Matterhorn's major, but previously unheralded contribution to the development of the H bomb. Outside the lab, he drove a battered Chevrolet around New Mexico, a bantam motorcycle across the country, and a British roadster around New Jersey. Part of the charm of Ford's book is the way in which he leavens his well-researched descriptions of the scientific work with brief tales of his life away from weapons.Contents: The Big Idea The Protagonists The Choice The Scientists, the Officials, and the President Nuclear Energy Some Physics Going West A New World The Classical Super Calculating and Testing Constructing Matterhorn Academia Cowers New Mexico, New York, and New Jersey The Garwin Design Climbing Matterhorn It's More Than a Boy Readership: A memoir for general readership in the history of science.Key Features:
It contains real physics, clearly presented for non-specialists
Combining historical scholarship and his own recollections, the author offers important insights into the people and the work that led to the first H bomb
Personal anecdotes enliven the book
Caroline's Comets: A True Story
Emily Arnold McCully - 2017
Born the youngest daughter of a poor family in Hanover, Germany, she was scarred from smallpox, stunted from typhus and used by her parents as a scullery maid. But when her favorite brother, William, left for England, he took her with him. The siblings shared a passion for stars, and together they built the greatest telescope of their age, working tirelessly on star charts. Using their telescope, Caroline discovered fourteen nebulae and two galaxies, was the first woman to discover a comet, and became the first woman officially employed as a scientist by no less than the King of England! The information from the Herschels star catalogs is still used by space agencies today.
Till the Clouds Roll By
Ruskin Bond - 2017
As he reacquaints himself with his mother, now remarried and with a busy social life, his stepfather and new siblings, a pensive Ruskin longs for his father's company, his stamp collection and the old gramophone. Trying to escape this unfamiliar place, he immerses himself in books and explores the forest glades, canals and bazaars of the little town, forming some unlikely friendships on the way. After the much-loved Looking for the Rainbow, the master storyteller lends another backward glance at his boyhood years-a vacation that took place over seventy winters ago-remembering his days with rare humour, remarkable charm and twinges of heartache.