People have taken dangerous risks trying to fly. Some inventors built wings for their arms and flapped them like birds. Others tried to fly with balloons or tried to glide with the wind. This book describes the creative, fascinating, and wacky experiments that people tried before the airplane was invented.

This is a Stage 2 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out, which means the book explores more challenging concepts for children in the primary grades. Let's-Read-And-Find-Out is the winner of the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Science Books & Films Prize for Outstanding Science Series.

Supports the Common Core Learning Standards and Next Generation Science Standards.

What is it like?
For thousands of years people looked up at the moon and wondered about it. Now we know what the moon is like. There is no air on the moon and nothing grows, but there are towering mountains and deep craters--and much more!

Colder than the desert, the hotter than the desert, the moon is an amazing place to explore.

Have you ever dreamed of being an astronaut? Wondered what it might be like to see the sun set sixteen times in one day?

Open this book and be transported on an information-packed voyage aboard the space shuttle. True Kelley’s kid-friendly diagrams and illustrations and Franklyn Branley’s straightforward text reveal what astronauts eat, how they move, and what kinds of work they do in space.

Why does a magnet pick up a paper clip but not a leaf or a penny? How can the whole world be a magnet? Follow the step-by-step instructions about how to make your own magnet, and then find out for yourself what makes a magnet!

In 1789, George Washington became the first president of the United States. He has been called the father of our country for leading America through its early years. Washington also served in two major wars during his lifetime: the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. With over 100 black-and-white illustrations, Washington's fascinating story comes to life - revealing the real man, not just the face on the dollar bill

Snuggle up with your kitty and read these action-packed tales aloud to him or her. They are very funny stories about the things cats like to do, and they have lots of amusing pictures. Invite your cat to come hear a story - but ask nicely! Cats hate being told what to do.

Did you know that lightning bolts can be over a mile long? Or that they may come from clouds that are ten miles high? Storms can be scary, but not if you know what causes them. Before the next thunderstorm, grab this book by veteran science team Franklyn Branley and True Kelley and learn what causes the flash, crash, rumble, and roll of thunderstorms!

Just in time for Roahl Dahl Month
Roald Dahl is one of the most famous children's book authors ever. Now in this "Who Was . . . ?" biography, children will learn of his real-life adventures. A flying ace for the British Air Force, he was married to an Academy Award-winning actress. He also wrote books and screenplays for adults. Entertaining and readable, this biography has 80 black-and-white illustrations.

Over a long, turbulent life, Picasso continually discovered new ways of seeing the world and translating it into art. A restless genius, he went through a blue period, a rose period, and a Cubist phase. He made collages, sculptures out of everyday objects, and beautiful ceramic plates. True Kelley's engaging biography is a wonderful introduction to modern art.

Ever since Howard Carter uncovered King Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922, the young pharaoh has become a symbol of the wealth and mystery of ancient Egypt. Now, a two-and-a-half-year-long museum exhibit of Tut's treasures is touring major cities in the U.S., drawing record crowds. This Who Was . . . ? is complete with 100 black-andwhite illustrations and explains the life and times of this ancient Egyptian ruler, covering the story of the tomb's discovery, as well as myths and so-called mummy curses.

Leonardo da Vinci was a gifted painter, talented musician, and dedicated scientist and inventor, designing flying machines, submarines, and even helicopters. Yet he had a hard time finishing things, a problem anyone can relate to. Only thirteen paintings are known to be his; as for the illustrated encyclopedia he intended to create, all that he left were thousands of disorganized notebook pages. Here is an accessible portrait of a fascinating man who lived at a fascinating time--Italy during the Renaissance.

Born in a little cabin in Tennessee, Dolly Parton always dreamed big, and she was right to She wrote her first song at age five and became a country music star by the time she was in her early twenties. Of course, her success didn't stop there. Dolly Parton is also an actress, author, businesswoman, and philanthropist whose "Imagination Library" reading initiative reaches children throughout the US, Canada, and the UK. There is simply no one like Dolly Parton

Now in Spanish: the story of Pablo Picasso's brilliant life
Over a long, turbulent life, Picasso continually discovered new ways of seeing the world and translating them into art. Young readers now have a Spanish translation of this entertaining, highly readable biography, with more than one hundred black-and-white illustrations.

Does your dog sleep a lot? Maybe he or she is bored. Why not try reading these three stories to your dog? Accompanied by lively illustrations, they are all about the things dogs understand best -- burglars, bones, and running free.

Where is Stonehenge? That's an easy question to answer. It sits on the Salisbury Plain in Southern England. But what is the meaning of these strange circles of stones? Was Stonehenge a religious site to honour the dead? Or a sacred place of healing? Or perhaps an astrological calendar? These are much harder questions to answer. However, in an engaging and easy-to-read account, True Kelley puts forth all theories - past as well as current ones about Stonehenge and the people who four thousand years ago managed to build this amazing monument.