Books with author Michael Brooke

Secret agent Amelia Kidd has saved the world loads of times from evil geniuses and criminal masterminds—thanks to her great disguises, gadgets (which sometimes work), and her brilliance at improvising in sticky situations. The three secret agent case files in this book are:The Case of the Ghost Diamond, in which Amelia foils a daring jewel theft during a class trip to the museum, thanks to her convincing granny disguise and her mirror-on-a-stick gadget.The Case of the Cat Nappers, in which Amelia discovers the reason for all the disappearing cats in her area—they have all been trained to become burglars! Cat burglars! Luckily Amelia's quick thinking foils the robbery and catches the thieves!The Case of the Whispering Weeds, in which an innocent trip to the garden center results in Amelia meeting an evil genius who has cultivated a weed army to control every crop on the planet. Weed killer—and Agent Amelia smarts—to the rescue!

Spanning disciplines from biology to cosmology, chemistry to psychology to physics, Michael Brooks thrillingly captures the excitement of scientific discovery.Science’s best-kept secret is this: even today, thereare experimental results that the most brilliant scientists cannot explain. In the past, similar “anomalies” have revolutionized our world. If history is any precedent, we should look to today’s inexplicable results to forecast the future of science. Michael Brooks heads to the scientific frontier to confront thirteen modern-day anomalies and what they might reveal about tomorrow’s breakthroughs.

The intrepid Agent Amelia is back in three more howlingly hilarious stories, as she saves the world from yet more evil geniuses! The three secret agent case files in this book are:The Case of the Hypno Hounds, in which a pack of dogs are menacing the cottage where Amelia and her mom go on vacation. Could there be a connection with the local animal shelter? Trust Amelia to foil the dastardly plan!The Case of the Sneaky Scientist, in which Amelia sees the new chemistry teacher buying amazing amounts of cereal. Whatever can he be up to? Luckily Agent Amelia is ready to counter any wicked schemes he may be stirring up.The Case of the Turbo Teddies, in which remote-controlled, roller-skating teddies are the latest toy craze. But when Amelia goes to buy one, all the teddies in the latest shipment have disappeared, and someone is pickpocketing the customers! Amelia is soon after the psychotic criminal behind it all.

Secret agent Amelia Kidd has saved the world loads of times from evil geniuses and criminal masterminds—thanks to her great disguises, gadgets (which sometimes work), and her brilliance at improvising in sticky situations. The three secret agent case files in this book are:The Case of the Zombie Cows, in which Amelia visits a petting zoo where she’s chased by tick-tocking cows into the yard of pecking clockwork chickens! Time for another dastardly plan to rule the world to be stopped, with Agent Amelia on the clock. The Case of the Perilous Pipe, in which a new music teacher uses an enchanted pipe to make all the children follow her. Could it be the notorious Pied Piper’s pipe? Trust Amelia to crack the spell, though!The Case of the Creepy Cakes, in which an innocent desire for a doughnut uncovers a fiendish plot to take over the world! As the cream from exploding cakes in the bakery smothers every surface, Amelia can be sure she has uncovered the villains!

Agent Amelia returns with three more spooky-but-funny adventures as she secretly saves the world! The three secret agent case files in this book are:The Case of the Spooky Ballet, in which Amelia is tricked into taking a dance class, but the teacher uses her class to take revenge on the local theater. It takes all of Amelia's mind control to foil her!The Case of the Gobbledygook Books, in which a new librarian has reprogrammed all the school’s computers with intent to rule the world. But Amelia overcomes her—with a little help from the real librarian and the works of William Shakespeare!The Case of the Whispering Scarecrow, in which Amelia goes on a picnic with her mother, only to find out a phantom is stealing the food! Amelia soon uncovers the thieves—a flock of crows led by a scarecrow. But who’s the real mastermind? Trust Amelia to find out!

Science starts to get interesting when things don't make sense.Even today there are experimental results that the most brilliant scientists can neither explain nor dismiss. In the past, similar anomalies have revolutionised our world: in the sixteenth century, a set of celestial irregularities led Copernicus to realise that the Earth goes around the sun and not the reverse. In 13 Things That Don't Make Sense Michael Brooks meets thirteen modern-day anomalies that may become tomorrow's breakthroughs. Is ninety six percent of the universe missing? If no study has ever been able to definitively show that the placebo effect works, why has it become a pillar of medical science? Was the 1977 signal from outer space a transmission from an alien civilization? Spanning fields from chemistry to cosmology, psychology to physics, Michael Brooks thrillingly captures the excitement and controversy of the scientific unknown.

In 1978, a local reporter horrified the nation with his award-winning expose of the Love Canal toxic waste scandal in Niagara Falls. Now, in his chilling account of America's most devastating ecological problem, that reporter, Michael Brown, tells the whole Love Canal story, and exposes more of the thousands of chemical waste dumps across the United States that have contaminated our water, our soil - the very air we breathe - causing life-threatening medical problems for innocent victims. Not since Rachel Carson's Silent Spring have we been so boldly challenged to halt the relentless destruction of our environment - and ourselves.

Secret agent Amelia Kidd has saved the world loads of times from evil geniuses and criminal masterminds―thanks to her great disguises, gadgets (which sometimes work), and her brilliance at improvising in sticky situations. The three secret agent case files in this book are: The Case of the Ghost Diamond, in which Amelia foils a daring jewel theft during a class trip to the museum, thanks to her convincing granny disguise and her mirror-on-a-stick gadget. The Case of the Cat Nappers, in which Amelia discovers the reason for all the disappearing cats in her area―they have all been trained to become burglars! Cat burglars! Luckily Amelia's quick thinking foils the robbery and catches the thieves! The Case of the Whispering Weeds, in which an innocent trip to the garden center results in Amelia meeting an evil genius who has cultivated a weed army to control every crop on the planet. Weed killer―and Agent Amelia smarts―to the rescue!

I'm a TRUE CITIZEN. She's a DEFECTOR. To love her is a CRIME. It's a law I'm willing to BREAK. In a distant future, all criminals of violent crimes are sentenced to life in the Arena where they must battle against both man and beast in a fight to the death.When sixteen-year-old Calvin Sawyer is wrongly convicted of his father’s murder, his charmed life as the son of a senator is changed forever. He’s stripped of his rights, his humanity, even his name. Now as the property of the Arena, offender CS4521 must learn to fight in the colosseum. It’s kill or be killed. What's being said about OFFENDER:“Murder, friendship, and lost romance in a tech-heavy futuristic world. Offender is everything we love about dystopian literature.” —Rebecca Rode, USA Today bestselling author of the Numbers Game Trilogy.“Offender gripped me on the first page and didn’t let go until the last line. Sharp and emotional writing combined with a hero you can’t help but cheer on. It will keep you turning pages with anticipation. Can’t wait for the next installment!” — Ilima Todd, bestselling author of the Remake series.“Edmond Dantes meets The Hunger Games in this incredible dystopian thriller. But Offender is so much more than a screaming roller coaster ride. Calvin’s struggle to stay true to his values and overcome the odds pierced me to the very core! I’m still reeling!” —Shauna E. Black, award-winning author of Rebel Bound. “Offender starts off at a run and never lets up. Full of action, heart, and excitement enough to keep any reader up late, you're going to have a great time fighting and racing along with Calvin on his heroic journey.” —Jarred Garrett, author of the BEAT Series.

Named one of the Best Nonfiction Books of 2019 by School Library JournalQueer history didn’t start with Stonewall. This book explores how LGBTQ people have always been a part of our national identity, contributing to the country and culture for over 400 years.It is crucial for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth to know their history. But this history is not easy to find since it’s rarely taught in schools or commemorated in other ways. A Queer History of the United States for Young People corrects this and demonstrates that LGBTQ people have long been vital to shaping our understanding of what America is today.Through engrossing narratives, letters, drawings, poems, and more, the book encourages young readers, of all identities, to feel pride at the accomplishments of the LGBTQ people who came before them and to use history as a guide to the future. The stories he shares include those of* Indigenous tribes who embraced same-sex relationships and a multiplicity of gender identities.* Emily Dickinson, brilliant nineteenth-century poet who wrote about her desire for women.* Gladys Bentley, Harlem blues singer who challenged restrictive cross-dressing laws in the 1920s.* Bayard Rustin, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s close friend, civil rights organizer, and an openly gay man.* Sylvia Rivera, cofounder of STAR, the first transgender activist group in the US in 1970.* Kiyoshi Kuromiya, civil rights and antiwar activist who fought for people living with AIDS.* Jamie Nabozny, activist who took his LGBTQ school bullying case to the Supreme Court.* Aidan DeStefano, teen who brought a federal court case for trans-inclusive bathroom policies.* And many more! With over 60 illustrations and photos, a glossary, and a corresponding curriculum, A Queer History of the United States for Young People will be vital for teachers who want to introduce a new perspective to America’s story.

The lives and activities of seabirds as you’ve never seen them beforeSeabirds evoke the spirit of the earth's wildest places. They spend large portions of their lives at sea, often far from land, and nest on beautiful and remote islands that humans rarely visit. Thanks to the development of increasingly sophisticated and miniaturized devices that can track their every movement and behavior, it is now possible to observe the mysterious lives of these remarkable creatures as never before. This beautifully illustrated book takes you on a breathtaking journey around the globe to reveal where these birds actually go when they roam the sea, the tactics they employ to traverse vast tracts of ocean, the strategies they use to evade threats, and more.Michael Brooke has visited every corner of the world in his lifelong pursuit of seabirds. Here, he draws on his own experiences and insights as well as the latest cutting-edge science to shed light on the elusive seafaring lives of albatrosses, frigatebirds, cormorants, and other ocean wanderers. Where do puffins go in the winter? How deep do penguins dive? From how far away can an albatross spot a fishing vessel worth following for its next meal? Brooke addresses these and other questions in this delightful book. Along the way, he reveals that seabirds are not the aimless wind-tossed creatures they may appear to be and explains the observational innovations that are driving this exciting area of research.Featuring illustrations by renowned artist Bruce Pearson and packed with intriguing facts, Far from Land provides an extraordinary up-close look at the activities of seabirds.