Books with author Cynthia Light Brown

Venturing through two of the most diverse and fascinating regions of North America, these activity books combine the subjects of geology and physical geography while making them captivating and fun. With a different approach, this series reveals the underlying processes for kids, explaining each region’s evolution and illustrating the different forces of nature that have changed the continent over time. The lush forests of the Pacific Northwest, the dry and arid deserts of the Southwest, and even the volcanoes and rainforests of Hawaii are all explored in detail as the chapters chronicle the effects of plate tectonics; landforms such as mountains, plateaus, and canyons; and the elements of climates and ecosystems. A plethora of hands-on projects ensure the learning process is both engaging and entertaining, including making a swamp cooler, creating a rift zone, building a seismograph, constructing basalt columns and water wheels to harness the power of a river, fashioning moving tectonic plates, and even mimicking nature’s process of carving an arch.

Taking a unique approach to a fascinating region of the United States, this activity guide looks at the underlying processes that have shaped the Eastern Coast. Beginning with the connection between geology and geography, the chapters move into a discussion of plate tectonics and landforms such as the Appalachian Mountains, Piedmont area, and Coastal Plains. The aspects of climate, rivers and lakes, and the ecosystems of the temperate forest and wetlands—including bayous and the Everglades—are covered in detail. Engaging sidebars explain why the New River is one of the oldest in the world, how once-endangered alligators are now thriving, how hurricanes form, and more. Combining fun facts with hands-on experiments, this handbook features projects such as building folded mountains, creating dissolving “corals,” and making an eye of a storm.