Books in My Best Book of... series

Kids fascinated by buccaneers, corsairs, treasure maps, and pieces of eight, will find this a most seaworthy introduction to the lives of these salty scoundrels.From the legend of the gap-toothed Jolly Roger to the gritty realities of pirate life, children will discover why pirates and smugglers have been feared throughout history. Special Features- Colorful double-page spreads- Informative captions and fact panels- Illustrated glossary and index

Join the crew and find out how rockets, probes, telescopes, and space shuttles work! Discover the incredibly diverse challenges that can be met by modern satellites! The Best Book of Spaceships by Ian Graham introduces young readers to the amazing variety of spaceships past, present, and ready to blast off into the future. Full color illustrations, clear captions, combined with a simple, descriptive text will help kids to discover the answers to tricky questions such as - What's in space? - What does it feel like to put on a space suit? - and provide a fascinating overview of life and work in the space environment, from the first steps on the moon, to life on a space station. This information-packed book makes an exciting gift and is an ideal reference for the young reader who wants to know more about spaceships and the work of humans beyond the Earth's atmosphere.

From sea bass to Siberian tigers, this title is a superb introduction to creatures that are either extinct, such as the dodo, or that could be soon. Discover the many fascinating species that are under threat. Explore some of the wildest habitats on earth, and find out more about a variety of endangered animals. But being classed as endangered does not always mean the species dies out. Many animals, such as the bald eagle, were on the brink of extinction and are now recovering. This new, optimistic chapter in the story is also explored.

From prehistory of how humans evolved from East African apes to the building of the first cities in Mesopotamia, young readers should find this book a useful introduction to our direct ancestors. Detailed illustrations introduce the different species of early humans - from the ape-like Australopithecus to the "wise man", Homo Sapiens and full-page scenes show how our ancestors made homes and tools, hunted, created art and learned to farm. The book also answers questions such as: who were the first people, and where did they live?; how did early humans survive the extreme cold of the Ice Age?; why did the neanderthals die out?; and where were the first cities?

A snowy owl flying, a giant panda climbing, a huge gray whale emerging from the waves: See these beautiful animals in the wild, where they belong. These amazing photos from the archives of the National Wildlife Federation showcase a menagerie of marvelous creatures. Children will look wide-eyed at a herd of wildebeests rushing through water; a mama brown bear attending to her adorable cubs; a smiling alligator, its powerful jaws opened wide; adult elephants protectively surrounding their young; and more. While enjoying their close-up look at this wonderful world of wildlife, kids will gain an early and lifelong appreciation for the marvelous creatures who also call Earth home.