Stop! Don't step on that beetle. Many beetles are pollinators. Without them, we wouldn't have magnolia flowers, palm trees, or the fruit of the pawpaw. Beetles can be pests and also helpful. Farmers use ladybug beetles to eat insects that are eating their plants. In the United States, there are more than 30,000 native beetles-and more are discovered everyday. These native pollinators are small in size but giants in the insect world. Native Pollinators:...

The piano has not been around as long as some instruments, such as the flute and drum. But it is perhaps the most popular instrument of all. About 21 million Americans play the piano! This title is richly illustrated with large photographs, maps, and a STEM activity that provides simple instructions to help children make their own instrument. Pianos is a reading journey that inspires and stimulates learning exploration.

Across the globe, devastating disasters have changed the course of history. This title brings the challenger explosion to life with well-researched, clearly written informational text, primary sources with accompanying questions, charts, graphs, diagrams, timelines, and maps, multiple prompts, and more. Explore the tragedies and triumphs of this disaster, how it helped shape the world as we know it, and how what we've learned from it has made the...

Moths are fuzzier and fatter than their butterfly cousins. A lot of moths are brown and dull looking. Butterflies get songs and poems written about them. Hardly anyone swoons over moths. But moths deserve our respect and attention. Moths are pollinators, and many are native to America. While most insect pollinators work during the day, moths take the night shift. They visit flowers that bloom under the light of the moon. Moths play a vital role in...

What comes to mind when you think about bats? Creepy? Spooky? Vampires? Bats get a bad rap. They do not harm people. Many are hardworking pollinators. America is home to 45 species of bat. They are the main pollinators of desert plants like the Saguaro cactus in Arizona. Nectar-eating bats from other countries help plants to produce the fruits we love to eat, such as bananas, peaches, and mangos. Native Pollinators: Bats is a good place to learn about...

Did you know that archaeologists discovered a flute more than 40,000 years old in a cave in Germany? That makes the flute one of the oldest instruments in the world. Flutes are still played and enjoyed. Its high, clear notes soar. This title is richly illustrated with large photographs, maps, and a STEM activity that provides simple instructions to help children make their own instruments. Flutes is a reading journey that inspires and stimulates learning...

Anthropologists believe that the oldest musical instrument is the human voice. There is no culture, no matter how primitive or remote, that does not sing. People can sing high and low notes, and with great emotion. This title is richly illustrated with large photographs, maps, and a STEM activity that provides simple instructions to help children make their own instrument. Voices is a reading journey that inspires and stimulates learning exploration....

Hummingbirds are amazing! They can hover, fly up and down, and they are the only bird to fly backwards. Their wings flap 50 to 60 times each second creating the humming noise for which they are named. Hummingbirds are native to the Americas. They pollinate honeysuckle, the morning glory, blueberry flowers, and an array of other trumpet-shaped native plants. Native Pollinators: Hummingbirds is a good place to start learning about these energetic pollinators....

The first car with a gas engine had only three wheels. What were early cars like and who made them? Find out about the first electric car, the first car race, Henry Fords Model T, and more.

In science fiction, deflector shields protect ships, bases, and even planets from enemy attack. How could a protective space that absorbs energy from weapons be created? Scientists have some ideas, which include using lasers. Discover the science and technology behind what it would take to make a real-life deflector shield!