Books with author John Nichols

An adventure story series filled with suspense, mystery, and fantasy - for kids ages 9-12 and teensPeter, an exceptionally clever junior high school kid, is pulled into an adventure where he and a few friends have to solve a series of very challenging riddles and puzzles. Peter's mind, which has an amazing talent for problem-solving, is needed to save the world.This adventure sure is a big change from what Peter typically deals with in life: He gets called geek and nerd by everyone in the cool group. He tries to hide his love for learning, in a hope to stick out a little less. He fantasizes about a girl who is out of his league.Peter and his friends must solve every confusing riddle and challenging puzzle they face. If they can't, a powerful supernatural being will cause immense destruction and devastation...

From bamboo rafts to the double-hulled voyaging canoe, this book is a celebration of the traditional boats of Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. The people of these island countries depend on the sea, and their ships reflect their mastery of sailing and shipbuilding. Early sailors built simple dugout canoes, but the invention of the outrigger and the double-hulled canoe allowed the Polynesians to navigate rough waters and sail thousands of miles more than 1,000 years before the Greeks and Romans mastered the Mediterranean. From New Zealand to Hawaii to Indonesia, this book discusses fishing techniques, navigational methods, and boat building facts.