An engaging facts book features a cast of energetic animals, including whimsical walrus and cockatoo "announcers," and encourages readers to guess which competitor will win each of a series of sporting events that reveal details about animal strength, speed and power.

From award-winning author Liz Garton Scanlon and celebrated artist Frann Preston-Gannon comes a gorgeously illustrated, lyrical counting book that will have young readers’ imaginations taking flight. One dark bird is perched up high, with a view of the town and a taste of the sky. Then she’s joined by two more, then three, then four. Before long, there are hundreds of starlings dancing across the sky—and avoiding a hunting hawk with one of the most spectacular tricks in the animal kingdom. Then, when night comes, the starlings begin to depart, until finally there is just one dark bird perched way up high, with a view of the town and a taste of the sky.

Farah feels alone, even when surrounded by her classmates. She listens and nods but doesn't speak. It's hard being the new kid in school, especially when you're from another country and don't know the language. Then, on a field trip to an apple orchard, Farah discovers there are lots of things that sound the same as they did at home, from dogs crunching their food to the ripple of friendly laughter. As she helps the class make apple cider, Farah connects with the other students and begins to feel that she belongs. Ted Lewin's gorgeous sun-drenched paintings and Eve Bunting's sensitive text immediately put the reader into another child's shoes in this timely story of a young Muslim immigrant.

Count the ways two hands, three days cleaning up, four planter boxes, and many more steps show how city neighbors transform one little abandoned lot into a beautiful community garden.

Ten little caterpillars are out and about in our big, wide world--come join them! You never know what you might find. . . . A butterfly, perhaps? Readers of all ages have celebrated the work of Bill Martin Jr and Lois Ehlert ever since their first collaboration on Chicka Chicka Boom Boom more than twenty-five years ago. Now these two picture-book geniuses are together again in this dynamic and visually stunning counting-and-natural history picture book that's just perfect for reading aloud--and comes complete with a glossary filled with intriguing information about all of the caterpillar stars!

Make way for another perfect preschool picture book by Caldecott Honor recipient Denise Fleming! Featuring a flock of oh-so-adorable fuzzy ducklings, this delightfully fresh take on the classic Five Little Ducks nursery rhyme emphasizes numbers and the days of the week—and these lucky ducklings are doted on by a loving Papa Duck as well as the traditional Mama. Young readers won’t be able to resist counting—and quacking—along!

Books that explore science through adventure The Acadia Files: Book Two, Autumn Science presents five stories of fall, each one followed by Acadia's science notebook pages with her simple explanations and lively, whimsical drawings of natural phenomena. The Acadia Files is a fun introduction to the wonders of science, using real-world scenarios to make scientific inquiry relatable and understandable. Parents and educators can use The Acadia Files to let kids discover for themselves what it's like to be curious about the world and to satisfy that curiosity with scientific thinking. Acadia Greene wants answers. What happened to the frogs she used to see at her favorite local pond? Why do leaves change color in the fall, and why don't evergreen needles do the same? What is the water cycle, and what is transpiration? How do time zones work, and why does the sun set at different times in different places within a single zone? How do germs infect us? Acadia doesn't mean to do science, but she has questions and her parents refuse to simply give her the answers. "Conduct an experiment," they tell her. "Use the scientific method." So Acadia makes hypotheses, designs experiments, analyzes data, and draws conclusions. Acadia does science.

In Book Three of the Acadia Files series, Acadia Greene carries her search for answers into winter. A melting snowman leads her to explore climate change and how to reduce her carbon footprint. The helium balloons at her eleventh birthday party beg questions of molecular structure, weights of gases, and neutral buoyancy. An afternoon making paper airplanes brings discoveries in aerodynamics. Tracks in the snow raise questions of how animals survive winter. And an afternoon of sledding slides into an investigation of momentum, acceleration, and friction. Acadia doesn?t mean to do science?it just happens. She?s curious, determined, bold, and bright?a wonderful STEAM ambassador!

From Emily Calandrelli—host of Xploration Outer Space, correspondent on Bill Nye Saves the World, and graduate of MIT—comes the third novel in a fun illustrated chapter book series about an eight-year-old girl with a knack for science, math, and solving mysteries with technology. Third grader and inventor extraordinaire Ada Lace likes nothing more than to tinker with mechanics like her robot, George. Her latest project is to fix up a ham radio, something that she could use to contact people on this planet…and beyond. The only problem is that she just can’t get it to work properly. During a sleepover, Ada’s best friend Nina hears something strange coming from the radio in the middle of the night. A distant voice says, “Release the swarm!” convincing Nina that aliens are about to invade planet Earth. Could Ada and Nina have stumbled upon something…extraterrestrial?

From Emily Calandrelli—Emmy-nominated host of Xploration Outer Space, correspondent on Bill Nye Saves the World, and graduate of MIT—comes the fourth novel in a fun illustrated chapter book series about an eight-year-old girl with a knack for science, math, and solving mysteries with technology. Third grader and inventor extraordinaire Ada Lace has a new social studies teacher—who loves group projects. While most of the class has constructed regular dioramas with clay and construction paper, Ada, her best friend Nina, and sometimes nemesis Milton have built a complex scale model of an historic silver mine. But when Milton reveals that he added his “old Milton touch” on their project right before turning it in, Ada worries that he has sabotaged their work. In a desperate attempt to save their project, Ada and Nina use their combined creative and technical prowess to perform a heist and break into their teacher’s supply closet after school. Do the two friends have what it takes to deceive the school’s security system? Or will they get caught trying to pull off this seemingly impossible mission.

ALA NOTABLE BOOK AMELIA BLOOMER TOP TEN BOOK “Stanley has been delighting and informing readers with her biographies for years, and here, her considerable talents are once again on display…Hartland’s charmingly busy art, reminiscent of Maira Kalman’s work, is full of wit.” —Booklist (starred review) From nonfiction stars Diane Stanley and Jessie Hartland comes a beautifully illustrated biography of Ada Lovelace, who is known as the first computer programmer. Two hundred years ago, a daughter was born to the famous poet, Lord Byron, and his mathematical wife, Annabella. Like her father, Ada had a vivid imagination and a creative gift for connecting ideas in original ways. Like her mother, she had a passion for science, math, and machines. It was a very good combination. Ada hoped that one day she could do something important with her creative and nimble mind. A hundred years before the dawn of the digital age, Ada Lovelace envisioned the computer-driven world we know today. And in demonstrating how the machine would be coded, she wrote the first computer program. She would go down in history as Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer. Diane Stanley’s lyrical writing and Jessie Hartland’s vibrant illustrations capture the spirit of Ada Lovelace and bring her fascinating story vividly to life.

Who is Jenna Fox? Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a coma, they tell her, and she is still recovering from a terrible accident in which she was involved a year ago. But what happened before that? Jenna doesn't remember her life. Or does she? And are the memories really hers? This fascinating novel represents a stunning new direction for acclaimed author Mary Pearson. Set in a near future America, it takes readers on an unforgettable journey through questions of bio-medical ethics and the nature of humanity. Mary Pearson's vividly drawn characters and masterful writing soar to a new level of sophistication. The Adoration of Jenna Fox is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Meet the Secret Explorers! Children will be inspired to discover the world with this collection of character-driven adventure stories for children ages 7 to 9. Dive into the world of the Secret Explorers and join them on their action-packed adventures in this four-book box set collection. Meet the Secret Explorers--a band of brainy kids from all around the world. Everyone in this diverse group of young experts has a specialty, from technology to plants, and each story follows a character who gets chosen for a "secret exploration." The last four books in the fact-filled series are included in this collection: The Secret Explorers and the Rainforest Rangers, The Secret Explorers and the Smoking Volcano, The Secret Explorers and the Missing Scientist, and The Secret Explorers and the Plant Poachers. Join rainforest expert Ollie on a mission to rescue a lost orangutan; volcano virtuoso Cheng, who journeys to witness a volcanic eruption; engineering expert Kiki as she tries to free a trapped arctic research ship, and biology brainiac Leah, who races to stop a band of plant poachers. Each story is fast-paced, fun, and full of facts. Along the way, the Secret Explorers encounter unexpected problems, and they must use all their knowledge and courage to overcome them. Kids will love turning the pages to find out if the Secret Explorers manage to complete their mission! Let's Get Exploring! With thrilling narratives and plenty of humor, The Secret Explorers books by SJ King are perfect for children who are into all things nature, science, technology, and adventure. It's written for children ages 7-9, with lots of information crammed into the story, which gives children a magical introduction to STEM subjects. This four-book collection is a perfect gift for boys and girls who are naturally curious and care about the planet. At the end of each book, you'll find "Mission Notes," which are a summary of all the facts and discoveries made throughout the story. With fun illustrations, quizzes, and a vocabulary list at the back of each book, their educational value is outstanding--and they are great for a classroom read, too!

The adventure begins in this exciting new chapter book series, complete with a do-it-yourself science experiment! When a four-inch-tall alien crash-lands through Zack McGee's bedroom window, Zack is sure he's about to become the first victim in a new War of the Worlds. But when the alien turns out to have weapons that are more ticklish than terrifying, Zack realizes that rather than protect the world from the alien it's up to him to protect the alien in his pocket from the world. With illustrations on every spread, a how-to on launching a rocket, fun scientific facts, and the hilarious adventures of Zack and Amp, this book is the perfect gift for any young reader! Supports the Common Core State Standards