Sam Jam sat in a school library and challenged the school community to ask him about the origin of anything at all - and pledged to use library resources to answer within 60 minutes. Children and adults delivered clever, funny, unexpected questions: Who owned the first pet dog? Who invented toilets? What was the first song? Were the first newspapers really made of rock? And who was the first human, anyway?Seeking answers, he and his young assistants discovered remarkable true tales:And dozens more remarkable true stories.The result is a fun story collection about the origins of a huge range of things - which also introduces young readers to the art and science of academic research. In these times of fake news, information overload, and too much homework, the ability to conduct fast, accurate research is one of the best skills any student can have - and you can learn it in these pages.

It's fun to be a kid, but are you ready for what comes next? Challenge yourself with these 100 things and you will be! Jam-packed with tips, tricks, and skills that every kid should master before turning 18, this is the ultimate guide to becoming a fun-loving, well-rounded, totally competent and confident young person. Complete with expert advice from real life explorers, adventurers, and masters of their craft, it's perfect for jump-starting an amazing life!

The biggest, wackiest, wildest, and weirdest of all the world record facts are jam-packed into this informative and superexciting fact book.

From the awesome to the weird to the downright gross, get ready to meet the world's record setters! You'll find fantastic firsts, awesome extremes, and weird wonders in achievements made by animals, humans, and Mother Nature. Paired with eye-popping design and unforgettable photographs, this book blows the record-book competition away and takes first place as the zaniest, most eye-catching, unbelievable, and best of the best record books you can find!

Alles oor Suid-Afrika is reeds sedert 1992 die mees omvattende naslaanboek vir Suid- Afrikaanse skoliere (en hul ouers!) wanneer hulle op soek is na inligting oor die land. Hierdie uitgawe – met hersiene en opgedateerde inhoud en fotografie – sal beslis sy status behou! Hierdie grootformaatboek propvol kennis is hoogs visueel met volkleurfoto’s, -kaarte en -illustrasies en die teks is maklik om te lees en te verstaan. Bykomende belangstelling word geprikkel deur brokkies inligting wat in teksboksies en verlengde opskrifte vervat word. Plekke om te besoek word ook aanbeveel en pas by die betrokke tema wat op die dubbelbladsy-uitleg bespreek word. Die teks is opgedeel in afdelings soos lank, lank gelede; die mense; die kultuur; die gemeenskap; wetenskap en tegnologie; die ekonomie; die land; en die natuurlewe, wat elke aspek van Suid-Afrika dek.

Mythbusters takes readers on a wild ride through history, science, the natural world and the human body in search of-the TRUTH!

Conspiracy theories, popular trivia, old wives' tales, common misconceptions, misinterpretations and other fallacies are explored to untruth exactly why they are wrong, and how and why they were adopted as fact in the first place. Thoroughly entertaining with fun typography, fast-paced text, light and fascinating side-stories, and lively, photo-montaged illustrations, this big huge compendium of curriculum-led subjects appeals to today's technological-savvy children. Fully detailing each myth and error, along with its historical or scientific background, each falsehood is debunked, and then a full explanation of its true facts are presented.

Myth Busters: Body Bloopers takes readers on a wild ride through the human body in search of the truth! Have you been told carrots improve your eyesight? Or that junk food causes spots? Think again! Conspiracy theories, popular trivia, old wives' tales, common misconceptions and misinterpretations are explored to untruth exactly why they are wrong, and how and why they were adopted as fact in the first place. Thoroughly entertaining with fun typography, fast-paced text written by Clive Gifford, light and fascinating side-stories, and lively, photo-montaged illustrations, this big huge compendium of curriculum-led subjects appeals to today's technological-savvy children. Fully detailing each myth and error, along with its historical or scientific background, each falsehood is debunked, and then a full explanation of its true facts are presented.

Travel back in time and into the not-so-distant future to dissect, explore, and discover how all kinds of things do what they do! Along the way, you'll learn why candy floss is so fluffy, how scientists built a spacesuit for Mars, and what goes into animating your favorite cartoons.

Look inside, take it apart, turn it over and figure out how things work! Quippy descriptions, full-color diagrams, and brilliant photographs make even the most intimidating subjects totally fun! (We're looking at you, space robots.) For every explanation, we touch on basic principles and then dive deeper. (Just want to know what terraforming is? We've got you covered. Want to know how to terraform, say, Mars? We'll explain that, too.)

But this book isn't just for explaining things. We'll also introduce you to the dreamers, scientists, and innovators who create this stuff. You'll meet a NASA engineer, an underwater archaeologist, and a chocolate scientist. You'll learn what it's like to fly a plane into the eye of a hurricane – on purpose.

Brace yourself for some serious (seriously fun) ickiness! This delightfully disgusting book is a tribute to all kinds of everyday nastiness! Discover yucky jokes, laugh-out-loud lists, kooky knock-knocks, funny puns, strange tongue twisters, and more to share with friends and family. Funny profiles of super-gross animals and weird-but-true science show that grossness is also downright fascinating.

With this series, you will be able to impress your friends with extreme facts on all things science. Discover mind-blowing statistics and hair-raising truths that will leave your friends and family gob-smacked!

This title identifies places where young readers might find the color orange. Simple text with closely matching pictures and a photo glossary makes this book perfect for beginning readers.

This title identifies places where young readers might find the color red. Simple text with closely matching pictures and a photo glossary makes this book perfect for beginning readers.

Nothing attracts young readers like the weird but true...especially when the weird truth is hundreds of years old. Ye Olde Weird But True, the newest addition to the blockbuster Weird But True series, is packed with 300 wacky facts for history lovers ages 6 and up. In this latest addition to this phenomenal series, readers will have more zany fun, this time from the pages of history! Ye Olde Weird But True delivers 100 percent new content, with 500 more of the amazing facts and photos that kids just can't get enough of.

Discover 1,000 more fun, fascinating, and funny quiz questions in the latest book in this popular series, with all-new content and photos. Packed with fantastic photos and a dynamic design, kids will have a blast quizzing themselves, friends, and their families on tons of fun trivia! This compact book is just the right size to pass the time on family road trips or to take to camp and quiz fellow campers.

Young readers learn all about insects in this new Pre-reader from National Geographic Kids.

Through text features such as a vocabulary tree and wrap-up activity, kids will be introduced to vocabulary in concept groups, helping them make connections between words and expand their understanding of the world. Along with brilliant photos and a fun approach to reading, National Geographic Readers are a winning formula with kids, parents, and educators.

There's something irresistible about a skyscraper. It can reshape an entire city skyline and from the building's top floors, people can see the world from a different perspective. Travelling from New York City to Dubai, from London to Shanghai, and from Kuala Lumpur to Chicago, this colorful book featuresdouble-page spreads for each of the skyscrapers it profiles. Each chapter includes photographs, information on the building's architect and history, and interesting facts about its construction and use. For instance, why is the Chrysler Building so admired, even though it doesn't stand nearly as tall as other skyscrapers? How do you measure the height of a building and how do you make sure it doesn't topple over in strong winds? How has skyscraper technology changed, from the steel frame skeletons that supported the earliest towers to the advanced computer programs that are now needed to design buildings more than 100 stories high? How has city life changed since the first skyscrapers were built? Written in a style that will draw in young readers, this fascinating tour of the world's tallest buildings will satisfy even the most curious minds.

*Featuring an introduction from Their Royal Highnesses, the Prince and Princess of Wales!* Can you think like a spy? Then we have a top secret challenge for YOU . . . For over one hundred years, GCHQ (or the Government Communications Headquarters) have worked in secret to gather information and solve the toughest of problems to help keep the people of the UK safe and secure. We are analysts, linguists, engineers, mathematicians, programmers, codebreakers, and lots more - all working together in brilliant teams to solve seemingly impossible problems. At GCHQ, we solve puzzles every day . . . and we're giving you a rare glimpse into our world, by setting you a top secret mission: solve problems and break codes that could befuddle the cleverest codebreaker. From codes and brainteasers to word riddles to language puzzles, there is something for everyone. So grab your friends and family and see how bringing together a mix of minds can solve anything.

Roll Up! Roll Up! It's the Great and Small Games! See the strongest, fastest and biggest animals in the world compete head-to-head! Marvel at the most beautiful creatures in the animal kingdom in the beauty pageant! Be amazed at our gyrating gymnasts, and look out for the deadly fighters as they wow the crowd with their wondrous weapons! But who will come out on top! Roll Up! Roll Up!

The first edition of "Ultimate Weird But True" was an instant hit in Fall 2011. Now the second edition has even more zany fun "Ultimate Weird But True 2" has a fun cover with lots of sparkle, is packed with cool photos, and features the same dynamic design that made the first book such a hit. Content is all-new, with new chapter titles and even more too-strange-to-believe stories, such as: the world's most expensive hamburger, which breaks the bank at $295; the world's largest chocolate sculpture; duck fashion models; and many more oddities.