Books in Changing World S. series

A lot of people have heard of the Hubble Space Telescope, but many don't know much about the person it's named for. Readers of this illuminating volume will learn all about the man who, in the 1920s, used the largest telescope of the time to discover and learn about other galaxies. This informative biography teaches readers about both history and science. A science project based on Hubble's work invites readers to try their hand at becoming scientists themselves.

Have you ever wished you could stop the spread of diseases? Or help fight hunger? It can be as easy as taking a picture of your school lunch and posting it online. That's what a nine-year-old in Scotland did to raise awareness about healthy eating and hunger. One young boy talked to his senator about health care. Another girl used animation skills to start a conversation about autism. These kids are all activists for health. They noticed a problem, and they did what they could to raise awareness and fix that problem. Read their stories about how they worked to improve health, and learn how you too can be an activist.

DESERTS ARE SOME OF THE MOST UNFRIENDLY PLACES ON OUR PLANET. FROM THE HEAT OF DEATH VALLEY TO THE FROZEN WASTES OF ANTARCTICA, THEY ARE THE HARSHEST PLACE FOR LIFE ON EARTH TO SURVIVE. COME ON AN AMAZING VOYAGE AROUND THE EARTH TO DISCOVER THE EXTRAORDINARY WAYS IN WHICH PLANTS AND ANIMALS HAVE EVOLVED TO COPE WITH THESE EXTREME CONDITIONS. FIND OUT: HOW WINDS AND MOUNTAINS MAKE DESERTS; WHY OASES ARE ONLY FOUND IN CERTAIN PLACES IN DESERTS; WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE DESERT BLOOMS; WHY THE WORLD'S DESERTS ARE SPREADING; HOW ANIMALS CHANGE THE WAY THEY LIVE IN EXTREME HEAT; AND ENJOY LOTS OF INTERESTING THINGS TO DO AND EXPERIMENTS TO TRY AS WELL. ONLY A TINY AMOUNT OF THE EARTH'S FRESH WATER IS AVAILABLE FOR USE BY LIFEFORMS-THE REST IS FROZEN AT THE POLES. MANY DRY LANDS ARE TURNING TO DESERT, OR ARE AT RISK FROM CHANGES IN THE WEATHER, FROM OVER FARMING, FROM POLLUTION OF MANY DIFFERENT KINDS, AND FROM ANIMALS AND PLANTS THAT ARE MOVED FROM THEIR HOME AREAS TO OTHERS WHERE THEY CAUSE DAMAGE. YOU CAN HELP TO SAVE OUR PLANET BY FINDING OUT WHY THINGS ARE GOING WRONG AND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PRESERVE WHAT IS LEFT.

This first-ever biography of the courageous leader of Amazonia brings young readers into the life of an inspiring woman role model.Born in the Amazon rainforest of Acre, Brazil, Marina Silva spent the days of her childhood walking through the forest collecting the sap from rubber trees to earn a meager living. For indigenous people, education was unattainable, health care nonexistent, and equality unimaginable. Even worse, the rainforest, so essential to their livelihood and culture, was being destroyed to make way for cattle ranches. Marina traveled to the city to get an education, where she learned that the rainforest did more than support the rubber tappers; it is a precious ecosystem necessary to the survival of the world. Marina soon joined the party of Chico Mendes, the legendary environmental, labor, and land reform leader, and later campaigned and was elected to Brazil's senate, where she fought for environmental protection and sustainable development.Marina's work generated worldwide recognition, including the Goldman Environmental Prize and Ms. magazine's 1998 Woman of the Year award.

Now there is a series designed especially to introduce young people to women whose heroic lives have helped to shape our world. Informative, inspiring, and engaging, the series tells of extraordinary achievements women have made throughout the world and introduces younger readers to the realities of other countries and cultures. Grades 6 and up. This unique biography series is designed to introduce young readers to the achievements of women around the world. The books tell the dramatic life stories of courageous women who have overcome adversity and discrimination to make extraordinary contributions to the global community. Each book contains contextual information about the geography, politics, and culture of its subject's homeland and introduces, on an accessible level, concepts such as the global economy, environmental preservation, and human rights. By providing role models, Women Changing the World serves as a source of inspiration for future world changers. Titles in the Series include: Aung San Suu KyiStanding Up for Democracy in BurmaPB $9.95, 1-55861-197-5HC x 19.95, 1-55861-196-7Ela BhattUniting Women in IndiaPB $9.95, 1-55861-228-9HC x $19.95, 1-55861-229-7Mairead Corrigan and Betty WilliamsMaking Peace in Northern IrelandPB $9.95, 1-55861-201-7HC x $19.95, 1-55861-200-9Mamphela RampheleChallenging Apartheid in South AfricaPB $9.95, 1-55861-226-2HC x $19.95, 1-55861-227-0Rigoberta MenchuDefending Human Rights in GuatemalaPB $9.95, 1-55861-199-1HC x $19.95, 1-55861-198-3

Rigoberta Menchú was born into a remote and impoverished corner of Guatemala where her people, the Quiche-Mayan, suffered as second-class citizens and where few children, particularly girls, went to school. Working as a coffee-picker and later as a maid, she educated herself and learned Spanish, the language of her oppressors, in order to lead her people in a fight for their land and their rights. She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992 and the Prince of Asturias Award in 1998.