Books with author David Gordon

Sami has helped her alien friend, Brian, and her human nemesis, Alejandro, to escape Earth. But she is not someone who likes to be left behind. Soon she, too, is on Adonae, a world of oceans and volcanic islands, and of staggering technological marvels.Sami soon discovers that on Adonae she and Alejandro are the aliens. Oh, and the planet also has a real problem with pirates. But the greatest danger to Sami and Alejandro is KetaNim, the ruthless ambassador of another alien race, the TakTi. He claims that the kids from Earth are dangerous and must be executed.While the ambassador conspires to take their heads, Sami and Alejandro get busy learning from the Adonae. Sami becomes a “scombro,” a reader of people; Alejandro a “quick eye,” a martial artist of the rope.They will need their new skills and growing friendship to keep KetaNim, and his vicious assistant, KetaGar, and the Adonae pirates from having their heads after all.

Two years after Sami stopped the TakTi invasion of Earth, she and her misfit "Timbuktu" friends have reunited to become the primary source of factual information on the internet. Life is pretty dull for Sami. And then Alejandro transports into their hideout to tell her that Tomsei is dying and wants to see her. But before they can leave for Adonae, they are snatched by Ozman, the wealthiest man on Earth. He threatens to kill Sami's mother unless she talks her Adonae friends into using their technology to make him immortal. On Adonae, Tomsei promises to help. But when Sami discovers that a war between the Clans of the North and South is brewing on TiWat, she uses this as an excuse to sneak onto their planet. The real reason she is there, of course, is to be reunited with TanaSet. Almost immediately, however, she and Alejandro become prisoners of SimSimKeta. The odious traitor Todd Rover is now SimSim's "advisor," and KetaNim is her lackey. With the treacherous Rover and the crushed KetaNim as their guides, the two friends head into the bizarre forests of TiWat. As they struggle through that alien world, and then make their way through the endless tunnels of the Vaash mountains in order to confront the Northern army, Sami and Alejandro will face a raging forest fire, poisonous trees, deadly creatures, and even deadlier TakTi. And for Sami there will also be a broken heart. Trapped between two armies, Sami's training as an Adonae "scombro" will have its biggest test as she tries to stop a war, save her friends, save her mother, and save herself.

Uncover one of the world's most fascinating and feared predatory creatures in this innovative 3-dimensional book. Uncover a Shark takes you on a whole new learning experience, layer-by-layer to provide children with an indepth and all encompassing understanding of the subject and its anatomy. Great Whites are one of the most feared and studied mammals of all time. This 16-page book examines the alluring Great White in detail. First the basic elements--their cartilaginous nature, teeth, fins, and gills--then more complex systems are detailed--the cardiopulmonary systems, digestive system, and the acute sensory systems. Each organ or system is intricately placed inside the book to provide a three dimensional view of its size in relation to the rest of the body. Each page is filled with interesting facts and detailed illustrations that desctibe each part.Did you know that engineers study sharks in order to design better ships and rockets since the sharks body is well-suited to gliding through the water? Or that a great white can also eat 10 tons of meat a year but often go several days in between meals. Explore these questions and many others as Uncover a Shark takes you on a jouney you won't forget!

After the narrowest of escapes from Adonae, Sami and Alejandro land on TiWat, the home planet of their relentless enemy, KetaNim.TiWat is a bizarre and danger-filled world of forests and rivers. From the moment they arrive, Sami and Alejandro are running for their lives from the cruel ruler of the Southern TakTi, SimSimKeta. Keeping a half step ahead of fanged creatures, carnivorous plants, and dart-wielding warring clans, the two friends eventually hide out in yet another world, this one buried deep inside the mountains of TiWat.In that strange world of endless caverns they discover the odd and beautiful society of the Svaash... and Sami’s father. He is alive, but apparently brain dead. Her father is the key to SimSimKeta's secret, that the TakTi have stolen the technology of the Adonae and intend to invade Earth.Sami and Alejandro must escape TiWat. And not only in order to save themselves and Sami’s father. Now they must also warn humanity that SimSimKeta and the TakTi will soon be on their way to colonize Earth.

When Sami, Alejandro and Brian rematerialize in Paradise, Arizona...no one is there. The worsening planet-wide water shortages have forced everyone to pack themselves into the major cities. The three friends trek across the desert to Phoenix to find Sami's mother, to search for Brian’s parents, and to warn the world that the TakTi are coming.It’s hell in Phoenix.Worse, they soon discover that KetaNim is already there. He is helping Todd Rover become president of the United States and, so, pave the way to TakTi colonization. To make matters worse, SimSimKeta and her invasion forces are arriving near the planet Jupiter. And SimSim is holding Sami’s father as a hostage to prevent her from meddling.Sami, Alejandro, Brian and their new friends (a gang of kids living in an abandoned underground station they call "Timbuktu") must do something about all of this. And they have only hours in which to do it.It will take everything Sami has learned from her experiences with the Adonae, the TakTi, and the Svaash to free Brian’s parents, to save her father, and maybe, just maybe, stop a global catastrophe.

The Swarm is out there.No one yet knows what they are. But they appear to be headed for Melomea, a small, half ocean planet, and the new home of the Adonae Outcasts.Sami has just barely escaped the TakTi clan wars with her life. But she is not ready to go back to Earth. Instead she conspires with her scombro mentor, Tomsei, to transport to Melomea. She wants to see her friends, Brian and Etta, and to warn the Outcast settlers that the Swarm is headed their way. On Melomea she finds a mountainous land covered by grasses, bathed by almost constant light and frequent winds. In its oceans live the Idoreesay, a society of sophisticated, manta ray-like beings who communicate through the flickering of neon colors on their skins. But nothing on Melomea is as strange - or as dangerous - as what is now on its way there.Sami and Alejandro's supposedly brief trip to the Outcast planet quickly turns into a deadly nightmare when the Swarm arrives much sooner than expected. While thousands of their ships hover above Melomea, hundreds more plunge into its ocean. Soon the waters of the tiny planet are infested with these utterly new creatures...creatures who eat sand and breathe water.Trapped on the planet with the Outcasts and their families, Sami and Alejandro must join forces and brains with their friends and the Adonae if they are to survive The Swarm.

Now in Paperback!Just in time for summer travel, this paperback edition of THE NOISY AIRPLANE RIDE offers a rhyming tour of the variety of sounds a child might hear before, during, and after takeoff. Rhythmic noises make for a great read-aloud.A final double-page spread helps clarify some of the sights and physical sensations of a plane ride, from luggage loading to queasiness."Will no doubt provide comfort to young, first-time flyers." -Booklist"A contribution both cogent and soothing to the scanty library of preflight, or in-flight, reading matter for young, infrequent flyers."-Kirkus Reviews

After the narrowest of escapes from Adonae, Sami and Alejandro land on TiWat, the home planet of their relentless enemy, KetaNim. TiWat is a bizarre and danger-filled world of forests and rivers. From the moment they arrive, Sami and Alejandro are running for their lives from the cruel ruler of the Southern TakTi, SimSimKeta. Keeping a half step ahead of fanged creatures, carnivorous plants, and dart-wielding warring clans, the two friends eventually hide out in yet another world, this one buried deep inside the mountains of TiWat. In that strange world of endless caverns they discover the odd and beautiful society of the Svaash... and the secret to the whereabouts of Sami’s father. He is the key to SimSimKeta's secret, a secret that threatens everyone back on Earth. Sami and Alejandro must escape TiWat. And not only in order to save themselves and Sami’s father. Now they must also warn humanity that SimSimKeta and the TakTi are on their way to Earth.

Two years after Sami stopped the TakTi invasion of Earth, she and her misfit "Timbuktu" friends have reunited to become the primary source of factual information on the internet. Life is pretty dull for Sami. And then Alejandro transports into their hideout to tell her that Tomsei is dying and wants to see her. But before they can leave for Adonae, they are snatched by Ozman, the wealthiest man on Earth. He threatens to kill Sami's mother unless she talks her Adonae friends into using their technology to make him immortal. On Adonae, Tomsei promises to help. But when Sami discovers that a war between the Clans of the North and South is brewing on TiWat, she uses this as an excuse to sneak onto their planet. The real reason she is there, of course, is to be reunited with TanaSet. Almost immediately, however, she and Alejandro become prisoners of SimSimKeta. The odious traitor Todd Rover is now SimSim's "advisor," and KetaNim is her lackey. With the treacherous Rover and the crushed KetaNim as their guides, the two friends head into the bizarre forests of TiWat. As they struggle through that alien world, and then make their way through the endless tunnels of the Vaash mountains in order to confront the Northern army, Sami and Alejandro will face a raging forest fire, poisonous trees, deadly creatures, and even deadlier TakTi. And for Sami there will also be a broken heart. Trapped between two armies, Sami's training as an Adonae "scombro" will have its biggest test as she tries to stop a war, save her friends, save her mother, and save herself.

When Sami, Alejandro and Brian rematerialize in Paradise, Arizona...no one is there. The worsening planet-wide water shortages have forced everyone to pack themselves into the major cities. The three friends trek across the desert to Phoenix to find Sami's mother, to search for Brian’s parents, and to warn the world that the TakTi are coming. It’s hell in Phoenix. Worse, they soon discover that KetaNim is already there. He is helping Todd Rover become president of the United States and, so, pave the way to TakTi colonization. To make matters worse, SimSimKeta and her invasion forces are arriving near the planet Jupiter. And SimSim is holding Sami’s father as a hostage to prevent her from meddling. Sami, Alejandro, Brian and their new friends (a gang of kids living in an abandoned underground station they call "Timbuktu") must do something about all of this. And they have only hours in which to do it. It will take everything Sami has learned from her experiences with the Adonae, the TakTi, and the Svaash to free Brian’s parents, to save her father, and maybe, just maybe, stop a global catastrophe.

Uncover a Tarantula examines the structure and anatomy of the largest spiders in the world and provides fascinating facts and information on each exciting page. Learn how these predators capture and kill other insects and animals, use their bodies to protect and camouflage themselves and why their blood is green. This full-color illustrated book combines the best model elements to help readers truly uncover the mysteries of what makes things work. A fascinating three-dimensional presentation allows in-depth, hands-on exploration of the subject at hand. This unique model is easily built, deconstructed, and rebuilt layer-by-layer, system-by-system, just by turning a page, until an understanding of the topic is achieved. Kids will love to see and touch each disgusting but interesting tarantula part!

Ten mighty dump trucks rolling down the road.Nine earthmovers scraping up a load . . .Count down from ten to one with the busy construction trucks!Something wonderful is going on, and every kind of truck has an important job. But what are all those bulldozers and backhoes doing? This bright and lively counting book will delight young construction fans everywhere.Construction Countdown is a 2005 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.