Books in 50 Questions series

As far as we know, Earth is the only inhabited planet in the Universe. So what makes Earth such an ideal place for life to survive? And how did it all get started? Life as We Know It goes back to the beginnings of life on our planet, explaining to middle grade readers how it emerged under hostile conditions from a chemical soup as a simple self-contained unit: the cell. Key biological themes, such as how cells work, produce energy, and reproduce are explained in simple terms. This knowledge is then used to explain how more complex organisms live. The book also looks at the wide variety of plant and animal life on Earth and how it evolved, and introduces the features and characteristics of members of the six kingdoms of life. Young readers will learn how life forms have adapted to occupy particular niches and what can happen if something upsets this balance. Lavishly illustrated with images from DK's extensive natural history photo library, this encyclopedia is a visual feast as well as a thorough treatment of biology. Through DK's unique visual style, scientific ideas that might appear intimidating in a textbook are made lucid at a glance.

In this, the sixth book in Brynie's award-winning 101 QUESTIONS... series, the author answers briefly and honestly the best of the questions about sex and sexuality she collected from hundreds of teenagers over more than three years. The questions range from "What is sexuality?" to "How can I know if I have an organsm?" She reviews what scientific studies have revealed about attractiveness and mate selection, homosexuality, masturbation, the brain activity that evokes sexual responses, and more. She presents statistics on teen sexual activity and points out that teens are choosing NOT to have sex more often than ever before. This is a science book, not a book of advice. It tells young readers what they need to know to better understand their sexuality and to make informed choices about it. The book includes an extensive glossary, list of organizations and publications, and index.

Author Faith Brynie collected questions about food from hundreds of middle school and high school students in planning this book. She selected the 101 most important, intriguing, and amusing questions for this, the fifth volume in her award-winning 101 QUESTIONS... series. In a question and answer format, punctuated by occasional longer features that probe a single topic in-depth, Brynie covers everything from the anatomy of the digestive system to the strange cravings for non-food items that characterize the eating disorder called pica. She enlightens and entertains with answers on why fat cells are friends (to a point) and how food may affect brain chemistry and mood. The book provides up-to-date research information on the relation between nutrition and good health. The book discusses genetic modification of food crops and the potential for foods engineered to be vaccines. Chapters on digestive diseases, food safety, and food as medicine round out this comprehensive, informative, and sometimes humorous volume. For readers age 12 and older.

If you're like most people, you probably never think much about your skin. You probably take for granted that it holds you together, makes you look like you, and always erupts in zits at the most embarrassing times. Is there more? A great deal more, which you can begin to explore in this book with the answers to questions people often ask about the body's most complex organ, the skin.