Books with author John Farndon

From the ever-curious mind that brought you the bestselling Do You Think You’re Clever? comes a brand-new trip to the far reaches of the intellectual universe, courtesy of even more notoriously provocative Oxbridge interview questions. How would you poison someone without the police finding out? (Medicine, Cambridge)What makes a strong woman? (Theology, Oxford)Instead of politicians, why don’t we let the managers of IKEA run the country? (Social and Political Sciences, Cambridge)How do you organise a successful revolution? (History, Oxford)Whether you’re interested in going to Oxbridge or just want to give your brain a workout, join polymath John Farndon on another exhilarating journey through the twists and turns of thought, and explore just what it means to be genuinely clever – rather than just smart.

A captivating, fact-filled atlas exploring animal habitats around the world for home or school. This beautiful book is from the producers of Firefly Encyclopedia of Animals, praised by Kirkus Reviews: "the entries come from all over the world; some are common and others rare, but all are interesting in some way... for browsers and researchers alike, this is a useful and inviting display -- and a bargain." Firefly Wildlife Atlas is similar but approaches the animal kingdom by means of habitat. It is also remarkable for its scope and presentation, covering almost 1000 animals in meticulous full-color illustrations and concise authoritative text. From millipedes to monkeys, this book offers a detailed and thorough guide to a wide array of the world's mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, as well as insects, spiders and other invertebrates. The atlas format shows regions and their habitats, for example, the African Grasslands has savanna in the Serengeti, bushveld in the south, and desert in the Sahara. Other regions may include one or more of tropical or temperate rainforest, woodland, wetland, tundra, polar and others. The regional maps present groups of native animals, such as browsers and foragers, birds of prey, reptiles and amphibians. Readers learn about the species and how they can co-exist in a single habitat. For example, one illustration shows how the physical characteristics of browsers and grazers allows them to eat from the same tree - an elephant's trunk grasps a tree's branches, leaves and fruit; a giraffe's long neck reaches the treetop's tender leaves; and a smaller eland uses its curved horns to break the tree's stiff lower branches. Firefly Wildlife Atlas also has encyclopedic A-Z spreads that show and describe a variety of species in one class of the animal kingdom, such as insects, reptiles, and birds. Special features cover topics like migration, seasonal change, cooperative predation, endangered species, and animal behavior. Packed with beautifully detailed illustrations and authoritative and accessible text, this is a book that is sure to open a young reader's eyes to the remarkable diversity of the animal kingdom and where they live.

Take an incredible journey from the top of your head to the tips of your toes in Human Body, winner of a Teachers' Choice Award for the Family. Designed for children ages 8 and up, this unique book is the ultimate guide to how the human body works. It’s filled with fascinating facts about what goes on beneath the skin and includes a comprehensive range of visual aids, including detailed photos, illustrations, diagrams, and two giant posters featuring front and back views of the entire body. Want to know what’s going on inside your head? Cool transparent pages allow curious children to peel back the layers and discover how their brains actually work! Human Body also features a show-stopping 3-D front cover with the lenticular image of a human face morphing into a skull!

This is a definitive full color guide for young readers. It includes an introduction to rocks, minerals and gems and how they form, how and where to look for them, how to identify rocks and minerals, and everything there is to know about building a collection. Packed with fun facts and practical activities, the book features high-definition color photography and data keys that show noteworthy qualities of each specimen in extraordinary detail. Rocks, Minerals and Gems shows how to read the landscape for clues and identify different rock types -- from dazzling diamonds to grainy sandstone. It describes fascinating facts and data boxes provide short facts to help with quick identification. Earth's most precious rocks, minerals and gems can be anywhere and everywhere in the world -- from riverbeds to beaches, cliff faces to fields. The only equipment needed is a backpack, a smartphone and some good walking shoes -- and maybe a small bag to carry home the treasure.

Head off on a globetrotting adventure in this interactive atlas! Learn about the diverse cultures, customs, wildlife, and natural beauty that form our world through informative text and full-color photograph. Children will love the hands-on aspect to learning as they blow up their inflatable globe and build the cardstock models of some of the wonders of the world. Smithsonian Exploration Station: World Atlas is the perfect way to engage kids in the amazing world around them! Includes: 56-page fact book 30 stickers 1 inflatable globe 3 cardstock models to assemble: the Eiffel Tower, the Taj Mahal, and a Mayan pyramid

Imagine facing a storm so vast you can only see it all from space, or winds that uproot trees and hurl cars in the air. The unleashed power of extreme storms can flatten homes and drown low-lying land in torrential rain, and they come with a steep cost in dollars—and lives. Learn all about the science behind horrifying hurricanes, terrible typhoons, and catastrophic cyclones. See the damage done by the world's worst tornadoes. Discover the drone and satellite technology for forecasting and tracking powerful storms and the storm chasers who risk their lives to increase our understanding of these devastating disasters.

Earthquakes can destroy entire cities in mere minutes and send shock waves rippling around the world. These devastating quakes become even more deadly when followed by monster waves. Tsunamis may travel faster than a jet across thousands of miles of ocean. Once they reach the coast, these huge walls of water can wash away everything in their path in one fatal whoosh. No place on Earth is entirely safe from earthquakes. But the technology to detect these hidden terrors is constantly improving. Discover the most fearsome earthquakes and tsunamis throughout history, as well as the science behind how and where these disasters strike.