On January 10, 2005, people who lived in the small oceanfront town of La Conchita, California, were horrified to hear a loud rumble. Weakened by heavy rains, the mountain overlooking the town began to crumble. Thousands of tons of mud mowed over trees, houses, and people. When it stopped, a huge hill contained fifteen houses and up to twenty-one people. In the days that followed, rescue workers and townspeople worked together to save as many as possible....

As America s first politician, Samuel Adams dedicated his life to improving the lives of the colonists. At a young age, he began talking and listening to people to find out what issues mattered the most. Adams proposed new ideas, first in his own newspaper, then in other newspapers throughout the colonies. When Britain began taxing the colonies, Adams encouraged boycotting and peaceful protests. He was an organizer of the Boston Tea Party, one of...

The Vietnam War sparkled one of the most controversial periods in American history. Although Vietnam had been fighting for its independence for thousands of years, the United States didn't enter the picture until the 1950s. Increasing tensions between North and South Vietnam officially brought the U.S. into the war in 1964. At the same time, a military draft was instituted. People struggled to understand the role of the U.S. in Vietnam. Americans...

Detailing the role of women in aviation, from the very first days of flight to the present, this rich exploration of the subject profiles 26 women pilots who sought out and met challenges both in the sky and on the ground. Divided into six chronologically arranged sections, this book composes a mini history of aviation. Learn about pioneers such as Katherine Wright, called by many the "Third Wright Brother," and Baroness Raymonde de Laroche of France,...

The story and personal accounts of 1992's Hurricane Andrew provide a backdrop for learning about hurricanes in general and the devastation they can cause. This book also examines the dynamics of hurricanes, the role of meteorologists, and the importance of timely, efficient relief operations in a hurricane aftermath. Includes a chronology that tracks Andrew's path, and a timeline of other major U.S. hurricanes.

Eli Whitney was an inventor best known for his invention of the cotton gin. But it was his ideas and methods that had the greatest impact on America, bringing the country into the Industrial Revolution. He grew up as a farmer s son, but was often found in his father s workshop. As a boy during the American Revolution, he started his first business as a supplier of nails. Against his family s wishes, he insisted on getting an education from Yale. It...

Westward ho! If you travel across certain parts of the United States, you can still see wagon wheel ruts where people crossed the west in search of more opportunity and better lives more than 200 years ago! The Oregon Trail: The Journey Across the Country from Lewis and Clark to the Transcontinental Railroad offers readers ages 9 to 12 a fascinating look at the explorers and settlers who traveled this route during the westward expansion of the United...

Does the weather fascinate you? Thunderstorms, tornados, hurricanes, and snowstorms are just some of the weather events that affect people's everyday lives. Since the time of the Ancient Greeks, people have been fascinated with weather phenomena and how they relate to human activities, such as sailing and farming. Meteorology is the science of the atmosphere, particularly the processes and phenomena that are used in forecasting the weather, and how...

Why is Earth called the Blue Planet? Because there's so much water on the surface that the planet looks blue from outer space!Marine biology is the study of the plant and animal life in salt water environments, from microscopic plankton to the largest animal on earth, the blue whale. In Marine Biology: Cool Women Who Dive readers ages 9 to 12 explore the careers of three women who work within the science of marine biology-Natalie Arnoldi, Ashanti...

"Meet five female paleontologists who made breathrough discoveries of ancient life from millions of years ago. All the women led fascinating lives while working in the field and in the lab, often facing challenges because of their gender and race. Try various STEM projects listed in the book."--Page 4 of cover.