Books in Motion Close-up series

Did you know that a sailfish's tail helps it zoom through water faster than most cars on a highway? Or that cows and horses swish their tails to flick away pesky bugs? Tails can really be terrific--animals use them to swim, fly, attract a mate, and even communicate! In this tale of tails, five to seven year olds will find out how creatures ranging from salmon to turkeys depend on their tales for survival, and how we humans once had them too. Every kid will love the full-color photos of animals in all sizes and shapes. The author lives in Victoria, British Columbia. 32 pages (all in color), 8 x 10. NEW IN PAPERBACK

Ronald Reagan was a Hollywood actor turned Republican politician known for his sunny optimism and gifted salesmanship. He entered the White House in 1981, a time when many Americans were wondering if their country's best days were behind them. But things had changed by the time he left office-the economy was thriving and the Cold War was coming to a close. The child of an alcoholic, he was an intensely private man, yet he was so charming that he routinely befriended even his enemies. Reagan was both a complex man and political figure, and his legacy strongly influences politics today.

Nelle Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird was published in 1960 and became an instant bestseller. Two years later it was an Academy Award– winning film. Today, it remains standard—and beloved—reading in English classes. But Lee never wanted “the book” to define who she was, which explains her aversion to any kind of publicity. Kerry Madden conducted extensive research for this Up Close biography, which reveals Lee to be a down-to-earth Southern woman who enjoys baseball games and playing golf—and whose one and only published book happened to win the Pulitzer Prize.

Before his short life was ended by assassination, Robert Kennedy was Attorney General of the United States, Senator from New York, and a charismatic Presidential candidate. But even more astonishing was Kennedy’s personal odyssey. Born into immense wealth and privilege, Kennedy came to embrace the cause of the poor and the disenfranchised, and to be seen by them as their champion.

Who's nose-y? Most animals are! That's because they usually have a much better sense of smell than humans do, and depend on their noses to find food, sense danger, poke around, and--if they're tame--do tricks. Black bears and grizzlies sniff out squirrels that are running underground, sharks smell blood from a distance of three city blocks, and rabbits have six times the sensors we have. Full-color photos and black-and-white illustrations capture an array of animals in their natural habitats. The author lives in Victoria, British Columbia. 32 pages (all in color), 8 x 10. NEW IN PAPERBACK