Books in Great Moments in Science series

POLLEN: DARWIN'S 130 YEAR PREDICTION Elementary Science - POLLENHow long does it take for science to find an answer to a problem?On January 25, 1862, naturalist Charles Darwin received a box of orchids. One flower, the Madagascar star orchid, fascinated him. It had an 11.5" nectary, the place where flowers make nectar, the sweet liquid that insects and birds eat. How, he wondered, did insects pollinate the orchid? It took 130 years to find the answer.After experiments, he made a prediction. There must be a giant moth with a 11.5" proboscis, a straw-like tongue. Darwin died without ever seeing the moth, which was catalogued by entomologists in in 1903. But still no one had actually observed the moth pollinating the orchid.In 1992, German entomologist, Lutz Thilo Wasserthal, Ph.D. traveled to Madagascar. By then, the moths were rare. He managed to capture two moths and released them in a cage with the orchid. He captured the first photo of the moth pollinating the flower, as Darwin had predicted 130 years before.Backmatter includes information on the moth, the orchid, Charles Darwin, Lutz Wasserthal. Also included is Wasserthal's original photo taken in 1992.MOMENTS IN SCIENCE COLLECTIONThis exciting series focuses on small moments in science that made a difference. BURN: Michael Faraday's Candle CLANG! Ernst Chladni's Sound Experiments (2019 NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book) ECLIPSE: How the 1919 Eclipse Proved Einstein's Theory of General Relativity (Fall, 2019)

**Junior Library Guild selection****Starred Kirkus Review**How long does it take for science to find an answer to a problem? On January 25, 1862, naturalist Charles Darwin received a box of orchids. One flower, the Madagascar star orchid, fascinated him. It had an 11.5” nectary, the place where flowers make nectar, the sweet liquid that insects and birds eat. How, he wondered, did insects pollinate the orchid? It took 130 years to find the answer.After experiments, he made a prediction. There must be a giant moth with a 11.5” proboscis, a straw-like tongue. Darwin died without ever seeing the moth, which was catalogued by entomologists in in 1903. But still no one had actually observed the moth pollinating the orchid.In 1992, German entomologist, Lutz Thilo Wasserthal, Ph.D. traveled to Madagascar. By then, the moths were rare. He managed to capture two moths and released them in a cage with the orchid. He captured the first photo of the moth pollinating the flower, as Darwin had predicted 130 years before.Backmatter includes information on the moth, the orchid, Charles Darwin, Lutz Wasserthal. Also included is Wasserthal’s original photo taken in 1992. MOMENTS IN SCIENCE COLLECTIONThis exciting series focuses on small moments in science that made a difference. •BURN: Michael Faraday’s Candle•CLANG! Ernst Chladni’s Sound Experiments (2019 NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book)•POLLEN: Darwin’s 130 Year Prediction•ECLIPSE: How the 1919 Eclipse Proved Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity (Fall, 2019)AUTHOR: Darcy Pattison is the author of science books for kids, including four National Science Teachers Association Outstanding Science Trade Books: Clang: Ernst Chladni’s Sound Experiments 2019; Nefertiti, the Spidernaut, 2017; Abayomi, the Brazilian Puma: The True Story of an Orphaned Cub, 2015; and Desert Baths 2013. She also writes science fiction early chapter books and science fiction young adult novels. Her books have been translated into ten languages. For more, see darcypattison.com/about.ILLUSTRATOR: Peter Willis With over 20 years’ experience in illustration and design, illustrator Peter Willis continues to be as enthusiastic and passionate about his work as ever. His illustrations have palpable character, bringing them to life through his craft and quirky approach. He lives in North East England with his wife and daughter. Other Moments in Science include BURN: Michael Faraday’s Candle, and CLANG! Ernst Chladni’s Sound Experiments. Peter is also the illustrator of THE NANTUCKET SEA MONSTER: A Fake News Story, a Junior Library Guild Selection, a 2018 NCTE Notable Children’s Book in Language Arts, and translated into Korean. Peter Willis brings humor to the story, but he also manages to convey accurate information about matter and its physical properties.REVIEW“POLLEN is extraordinary! What a great story that encapsulates so many important concepts in science - pollination, structure and function of living things, and how scientific discoveries take time. It is so well written and will make a wonderful read-aloud.” Emily Morgan, co-author of Picture Perfect Science

A compelling, kid-friendly, and visually appealing erosion story. – Kirkus reviewWhen the dust storms of the 1930s threatened to destroy U.S. farming and agriculture, Hugh Bennett knew what to do. For decades, he had studied the soils in every state, creating maps showing soil composition nationwide. He knew what should be grown in each area, and how to manage the land to conserve the soil. He knew what to do for weathering and erosion.To do that, he needed the government’s help. But how do you convince politicians that the soil needs help?Hugh Bennett knew what to do. He waited for the wind.This is the exciting story of a soil scientist confronting politicians to encourage them to pass a law to protect the land, the soil. When the U.S. Congress passed a law establishing the Soil Conservation Service, it was the first government agency in the world dedicated to protecting the land, to protecting the Earth. Reading this amazing story of an unchronicled early environmentalist, Hugh Bennett, the founder of the NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service).MOMENTS IN SCIENCE COLLECTIONThis exciting series focuses on small moments in science that made a difference. BURN: Michael Faraday’s CandleCLANG! Ernst Chladni’s Sound Experiments (2019 NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book)POLLEN: Darwin’s 130 Year Prediction (Junior Library Guild selection, Starred Kirkus Review. 2020 NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book; 2020 Eureka! Nonfiction Honor)ECLIPSE: How the 1919 Eclipse Proved Einstein’s Theory of General RelativityEROSION: How Hugh Bennett saved America’s Soil and Ended the Dust Bowl

When the dust storms of the 1930s threatened to destroy U.S. farming and agriculture, Hugh Bennett knew what to do. For decades, he had studied the soils in every state, creating maps showing soil composition nationwide. He knew what should be grown in each area, and how to manage the land to conserve the soil. He knew what to do for weathering and erosion.To do that, he needed the government's help. But how do you convince politicians that the soil needs help?Hugh Bennett knew what to do. He waited for the wind.This is the exciting story of a soil scientist confronting politicians to encourage them to pass a law to protect the land, the soil. When the U.S. Congress passed a law establishing the Soil Conservation Service, it was the first government agency in the world dedicated to protecting the land, to protecting the Earth.Reading this amazing story of an unchronicled early environmentalist, Hugh Bennett, the founder of the NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service).

In 1915, British astronomer Arthur Stanley Eddington was fascinated with Einstein's new theory of general relativity. The theory talks about how forces push and pull objects in space. Einstein said that the sun's gravity could pull and bend light.To test this, astronomers decided to photograph a solar eclipse. The eclipse would allow them to photograph the stars before and during the solar eclipse. If the star's position moved, then it was evidence that that light had bent. Eddington and his team traveled from England to the island of Principe, just off the African coast, to photograph the eclipse. In simple language, this nonfiction illustrated picture book explains how the push (acceleration) and pull (gravity) of space affects light.Back matter includes information on Einstein, Eddington, and the original photograph of the 1919 solar eclipse.MOMENTS IN SCIENCE COLLECTIONThis exciting series focuses on small moments in science that made a difference. BURN: Michael Faraday's Candle CLANG! Ernst Chladni's Sound Experiments (2019 NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book) POLLEN: Darwin's 130 Year Prediction (Junior Library Guild selection, starred Kirkus review) ECLIPSE: How the 1919 Eclipse Proved Einstein's Theory of General Relativity

”…entertaining…” Kirkus ReviewsIn 1915, British astronomer Arthur Stanley Eddington was fascinated with Einstein’s new theory of general relativity. The theory talks about how forces push and pull objects in space. Einstein said that the sun’s gravity could pull and bend light.To test this, astronomers decided to photograph a solar eclipse. The eclipse would allow them to photograph the stars before and during the solar eclipse. If the star’s position moved, then it was evidence that that light had bent. Eddington and his team traveled from England to the island of Principe, just off the African coast, to photograph the eclipse.In simple language, this nonfiction illustrated picture book explains how the push (acceleration) and pull (gravity) of space affects light.Back matter includes information on Einstein, Eddington, and the original photograph of the 1919 solar eclipse.