Books published by publisher Firefly Books

Native trees grow much faster than non-native trees. But even experienced horticulturists can be mystified about how nature sows and germinates seeds especially acorns and walnuts. Thanks to this book, any gardener can now grow trees from seeds within as little as ten years. The secrets are to know what seeds to collect and how to prepare and plant them. From their extensive knowledge, the authors guide the reader in identifying native trees, vines and shrubs and describe howto propagate them. Growing Trees from Seed covers the ecology, abundance, fruit characteristics and edibility of the more than 200 species discussed in this book. There is expert guidance on when to gather fruits, how to extract seeds from the fruit, and when and how to treat and germinate the seed, plus information on transplanting and expected growth rate. Alerts throughout the book identify closely related non-native species now common to various regions. Many illustrations and descriptions help the reader with plant identification. A seed-treatment guide provides a handy reference. Among the trees, vines and shrubs covered are: Alders Beeches Berries Birches Cedars Cherries Chestnuts Clematis Dogwoods Elms Firs and pines Hickories Junipers Laurels Maples Oaks Plums Poplars Spruces Walnuts Willows. There is no better guidebook on how to grow native trees from seed.

Ultimate Mapping Guide for Kids gives youngsters all of the tools they need to understand maps, make their own cartographic creations, and even head out on navigating adventures. Getting lost will be a thing of the past. This book is laid out in a logical order and is packed to the brim with expert instruction, learning projects (make your own contour map), top tips (e.g., always carry pencil and paper along with a GPS) and safety warnings. Even the page margins are put to use and filled with topical references for easy navigation and fascinating facts, such as "The Babylonians first mapped the stars over 2,500 years ago." Ultimate Mapping Guide for Kids contains clear concise text that explains technical topics like longitude and latitude, satellite navigation, bathymetric maps, how to read grid maps, and how to make a scale map of your house and yard. Every term is defined and illustrations offer clarity. Ultimate Mapping Guide for Kids is a practical purchase for youth organizations, geocaching groups and campers. Young readers will find it fascinating -- reluctant readers especially. They might even turn off the electronics, and get outside.

The I Want to Be... series provides young readers with some exciting opportunities to think... an attractive choice for beginning readers ... Recommended. -- Library Media Connection The I Want to Be... series gives young children a realistic insight into the working day of adults. Easy-to-read captions and color photographs of men and women from different cultures help children understand what's involved in each occupation. Young readers learn all about what it takes to do an interesting job well. Along the way, they appreciate the contributions these workers make to our lives and the world around us. Popular cooking shows on television are capturing the imagination of youngsters as well as adults, and children are keen to know what it takes to become a professional chef. In I Want to Be a Chef, young readers will learn about what goes on behind the scenes of a restaurant. They'll observe chefs mixing, chopping, baking -- and working as a team. They'll find out about training, assisting, different types of chefs, and safe food-handling practices. They'll also learn about chefs who write cookbooks and host television shows. The book ends with a checklist that summarizes the qualities of a good chef. I Want to Be a Chef is packed with real-life photos and includes interesting and easy-to-read captions -- plus a recipe or two. It's a book in which the whole family can become involved.

The ideal resource for beginning sky watchers in 2018. The night sky is always an amazing sight but it's a thrill when you can locate stars or catch sight of a meteor. With 2018 Guide to the Night Sky, amateur astronomers can view the sky over the course of the year and not miss a thing. It is also a compact and comprehensive introduction to astronomy. Using the Guide's charts and maps and following the text, sky watchers can enjoy viewing the night sky with nothing more complicated than a pair of binoculars or the naked eye. With its maps, centered on latitude 40 degrees North, 2018 Guide to the Night Sky will help backyard astronomers in the United States and Canada see how the visible stars change over the year, and ensure that they catch the exciting sky events that occur. In addition to the month-by-month guides, the Guide includes an introduction to the planets, sky and constellation maps, moon and meteor calendars, and ecliptic charts. An appendix includes a glossary, the Greek alphabet, the constellation genitives, common asterisms, software and internet sources, and much more. The small and light format makes this book the ideal portable reference. 2018 Guide to the Night Sky is a fabulous introduction for new astronomers. It helps them enjoy the thrill of seeing one-time sky events, follow the changes in the night sky and learn about the Milky Way and its resident stars. The background and technical information will serve beginning astronomers well as they develop their skills for a lifetime of sky watching.

An entertaining guide to the world's slimiest stuff. A Little Book of Slime reveals the sticky secrets of more than 30 slimy substances, from frothy frog nests to scrambled egg slime, each with its own important (if unpleasant) characteristics and functions. Magnified photos and fascinating text transform the gooiest substances on the planet into extraordinary stories of our natural world. Everything that oozes and leaves a trail of gunk lurks in the book's pages: goopy secretions of the "killer" slime plant, glistening spittle of the revolting froghopper insect, bucketsful of slime made in minutes by the most repulsive fish. Decomposing vegetables, living snot mold, phlegm and saliva. Slime is widespread. The book describes what slime is and then explores where it lingers: Slimy Stuff in Water, Slimy Stuff on Land and Other Slimy Stuff. Readers can use the "slime-ometer" to gauge stickiness, smelliness and sliminess, and Slime Alerts point out particularly slimy, scary or mind-boggling facts. A glossary supports the descriptions. Fun to read with pictures that almost drip with goo, A Little Book of Slime turns disgusting slime into a surprisingly appealing topic. Slime may look and feel revolting but it's there for a reason!

A different way to understand the magnitude of World War II. Countless books exist about the Second World War and in those can be found all of the statistics to be had: numbers killed, bombs dropped, battles won and lost, ad infinitum. But to see these numbers as infographics gives the reader a fresh perspective on the war. World War II in Numbers uses color graphics and succinct text to tell the key stories of the battles that engulfed the globe and affected virtually everyone alive during the 1940s. To see the war set out in numbers tells the story with a new certainty: how the Polish Home Army carried out more than 700,000 acts of sabotage the large number of Japanese lost in the Pacific War how Allied tanks stood up to the armor-piercing power of the Panzerfaust the damage the Kamikaze inflicted on Allied ships during the Okinawa Campaign the number of unexploded bombs reported on the island of Malta that in 1944 alone 914,637 tons of bombs were dropped on German cities by how much the Allied forces outnumbered the Germans in Normandy how the ten costliest land battles in WWII compare with those of WWI. The book sets out six chapters with topics discussed in two- and four-page infographics spreads, including certainty: Preparation for War -- Territorial skirmishes, shifting borders, militarism and alliances. Land Campaigns -- Key battles and the military might that fought them. Weapons and Innovations - From the Polish Calvary to the A-Bomb. In the Air -- Aces and blitzes. At Sea -- The war expands to the world's oceans. Costs -- The price of war and its legacy. Compelling, a superb teaching tool, ideal for casual reading and a must-have for military hobbyists, World War II in Numbers is an exciting and powerful perspective on the global conflict.

The facts and fun of life as a fox. With their catlike faces, big ears and fluffy tails, foxes appeal to youngsters, but children may not know that a fox can smell prey deep in the snow and that some can climb trees. Young readers will learn about the various fox species, such as red foxes, arctic foxes, gray foxes and swift foxes, and they will read about what it would be like to be a fox pup. Photographs of adult and young foxes in their natural habitats and sidebars with storylike content round out this rich portrayal of foxes in the wild. In the Exploring the World of ... series, Firefly Books is pleased to present an exciting new nature series produced especially for young readers who are eager to learn more about the wild animals they find especially appealing. The books are packed with facts and offer outstanding value. Clear text in large type and vivid photographs with explanatory captions describe the animals' physical attributes, and storylike narratives about their daily life -- where they live, what they eat, how they hunt, how they communicate, how they raise their young -- present a complete picture of each animal.

In 101 Things for Kids to Do Outside Dawn Isaac presented a diverse collection of activities designed to inspire kids to get out of the house and play. Rainy days are a different matter. Knowing that it can be particularly challenging to pull kids off the couch, Isaac created 101 activities for indoor fun, all thoroughly tested and approved by children. These activities are sure to entertain. There are one-on-one games and party games, quiet activities and raucous treasure hunts, projects for one person or a group, homemade toys and food treats, science experiments, play acting and make believe, indoor gardening and much more. The 101 things are described in light-hearted text with clear instructions, amusing illustrations and photographs of kids having fun. All of the activities use items found around the home. Younger children may need direction. The activities range from 10 minutes to a full day. Here are some examples: Make ice cream in a plastic bag Take and lift fingerprints Girls can try new hairstyles, set up a spa, hold a junk fashion show Mix bath paints Build a shoebox house Have an indoor snowball fight (with crumpled paper) Make an "I Spy" jar Catapult marshmallows Make a heart garland Compete in hands-free ping pong. It can be difficult to get children away from the screen because the alternative is less appealing. 101 Things for Kids to Do on a Rainy Day can change that. It is a great way to banish day-long couch sessions and rediscover the joy of play.

"The breezy and down-to-earth text ... nicely communicates the wonder ... Especially effective is the eight-pictured depiction of the development of the caterpillar into a chrysalis." --School Library Journal Observing a Monarch butterfly as it transforms itself from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly is among the most thrilling experiences that nature offers. Raising Monarch butterflies is made easy with the help of this detailed guide. How to Raise Monarch Butterflies explains what threats Monarchs face today and how readers can help conserve the Monarch's feeding grounds from encroachment. Revel in one of the most remarkable miracles of nature. This updated edition contains: More than 40 new colorful and detailed photos More secrets to help you find eggs and caterpillars Instructions on how to feed a monarch and more details on their care Expanded information on varieties and propagation of milkweed New page on the diverse insects in the milkweed patch New suggestions for starting a butterfly garden, including a large photograph of an outstanding Monarch Way station.

More fabulous huge machines for the kids who love them. Children always get excited watching cranes reach for the heights. Knowing that one person is perched high atop the crane only adds to the thrill and sense of adventure. Cranes are used for lifting almost any heavy load and moving it to a height. They are used to make buildings, bridges and ships. Some are used to stack containers onto ships, trains and trucks. A floating crane might be used for salvaging a sunken ship, and an aerial crane is a specially fitted helicopter that can rescue someone or drop emergency supplies into a disaster area. The Mighty Machines series features vivid color photographs of enormous machines as they dig, dump, load, pull and lift. Children will thrill at the size of these behemoths and enjoy seeing these vehicles strain under the weight of such tremendous work. Vivid color photographs of these mechanical marvels at work jump off the page. In large type for young (and old) eyes, the machines, their parts and their uses are concisely described. Glossaries explain essential terms, and suggested activities add to the fun. The big format and vibrant design make these books perfect for kids to read alone or share with a friend.

A valuable tool for both beginners and advanced stargazers, updated for use to 2022. Astronomy Forum called the Firefly Planisphere "a work of art [that] no amateur astronomer should be without." Charted by the month, day, hour and minute, it is quick, battery-free and weather-resistant. The stargazer needs only to turn the planisphere to align the current date and time. What the see-through panel reveals will match the view of the night sky. This edition of the Firefly Planisphere is updated for use to 2022. It shows the position of the stars for every night of the year. Icons that describe star magnitudes -- the larger the symbol, the brighter the star -- make it easy to locate specific stars. Stargazers will be able to locate planets, stars, constellations, globular clusters, nebulas, galaxies and other celestial wonders. Other features include: At-a-glance coordinates for locating the brightest objects in the sky Planetary tables to locate Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn Times of sunrise and sunset for each day Declination and right ascension scales The ecliptic path. The booklet provides accurate information on bright and faint stars, the Milky Way and deep-sky searching. Other topics include: Using the planisphere Finding planets, sunrise and sunset How to read a star map Learning the sky Exploring the skies, season by season. With its sturdy construction, smooth wheel rotation, easy-to-read booklet and protective pocket, the Firefly Planisphere is simply the handiest guide to the night sky for the amateur astronomer.

Step-by-step, easy instructions show how to make pigs, cats, masks, monsters and more. Eight great projects in all! Everyone has the basic ingredients for papier-mâché around the house - newspaper, flour and water - and everyone can do this creative, satisfying craft that allows you to build big, small, crazy and decorative sculpture. More than 150 color pictures guide you through the steps and show lots of variations on the results. Try it - it's fun!