Books with author Ken Robbins

From late summer to Thanksgiving, pumpkins are everywhere, a symbol of fall and a reminder of the holidays to come. In this handsome book, Ken Robbins—widely known for his sumptuous photo-essays on subjects ranging from trucks to tools to autumn leaves—portrays the pumpkin from seed, to sprout, to flower, to fully fledged fruit, and back again. Instructions are given to (safely) carve a jack-o’-lantern.

Apples! Apples! Apples! Crunchy and tasty, sweet and tart, in colorful shades of red, yellow, and green -- sometimes all three -- everyone loves apples! In this lively and vibrant book, young readers will learn how apples grow, from the planting of a tree, to the pollination of buds by bees, and on to the harvest. And then comes the fun part as apples are used to tease the taste buds in so many ways -- in pies and strudel, in cider and applesauce, but most of all, in that one simple crunch when one bites into an apple's crisp sweetness. Ken Robbins's hand-colored photographs will make you want to take a bite yourself!

Ken Robbins tells in words and historical photographs the amazing yet tragic story of a magnificent and truly American creature: the buffalo. It is the story of numbers so vast, it might take days for one herd of buffalo to pass a particular point on the prairie. It is the story of a harmonious, balanced relationship with Native Americans who revered and even worshiped the huge animals that gave them almost everything they needed to survive. And it is the sad story of how, in as little as twenty-five years, reckless and wasteful slaughter at the hands of newly-arrived settlers drove the buffalo to the very brink of extinction. But luckily the story has a somewhat happy ending. The destruction was halted and the number of buffalo has risen again, although the days when a stampeding herd made a sound like thunder on the plains are probably gone forever.

From late summer to Thanksgiving, pumpkins are everywhere, a symbol of fall and a reminder of the holidays to come. In this handsome book, Ken Robbins--widely known for his sumptuous photo-essays on subjects ranging from trucks to tools to autumn leaves--portrays the pumpkin from seed, to sprout, to flower, to fully fledged fruit, and back again. Instructions are given to (safely) carve a jack-o'-lantern. As always in a book by Ken Robbins, a simple--but never simplisitc--text is accompanied by luscious photographs.

Sixteen year old Mark Linderman excels at table tennis. There is no competition for him in the remote town of Chinook, Montana, and not one sanctioned club exists in the state. Shunned at school, he relegates himself to practicing entirely against ball machines in his garage, for hours. His father detests his rejection of traditional sports, but his mom is supportive. To ease the family tension, Mark’s adventurous aunt in Naples, Florida arranges for him to stay with her for the summer, presumably to play in the clubs there. She has other plans, which take a turn when the duo meet wealthy and eccentric table tennis club owner Scott Kobara. Kobara desperately seeks to develop an American player who is capable of defeating the ever-dominant Chinese.Mark's talents take him into Kobara's web. He finds love and acceptance far from his parents and the confines of his Montana garage. After secretly training under a pair of dream team coaches, he is launched into the international spotlight. The upcoming 50th anniversary of Ping Pong Diplomacy is scheduled to take place on American soil in 2021, but the landmark competition faces uncertainty when Kobara's underhandedness comes to light.

SEEDS! SEEDS! SEEDS! From summer's flourishing flowers to autumn's succulent fruits, everything begins with a tiny little seed. In this fascinating chronicle, young readers will learn how seeds grow, and how they vary in shape, size, and dispersal patterns. From cherry pits to exploding pods, to sticktight seeds that cling to your shoes, acclaimed photographer and author Ken Robbins illuminates how wondrous nature springs up throughout the year before our very eyes.

A bushel of facts and fabulous photographs make this 24 Karat informational book shine.The mile gets its name from the term mille passus, whichmeans "a thousand paces." The abbreviation for pound (lb.) comes from the Latin libra pondo. Feet, pounds, quarts, miles: these are words we use every day. But where did they originate, and what do they actually mean?Once again, Ken Robbins takes an everyday subject and, through spectacular photographs and straightforward and entertaining text, makes it come alive.For Good Measure is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.