Books published by publisher Franklin Watts

It's the end of the 15th century, and your local castle is looking for a jailer. Do you want the job?This interactive series will enthrall young and reluctant readers (Ages 8-12) by making them part of the story, inviting them to become the main character. Each book uses humorous illustrations to depict the sometimes dark and horrific side of life during important eras in history. Your charges will include all sorts of people, from hardened criminals to people with mental illnesses-and you won't be expected to treat them kindly. This new extended edition includes a castle timeline, a guide to spooky castles, and some real-life grisly stories.

From tectonic plates to soil, it is an eye-opening introduction to how the matter under our feet shapes the world around us.Almost as old as our planet, rocks are formed and shaped by heat, wind, water, and immense amounts of pressure. You can see the evidence of their long and violent history in their color, shape, and texture. In addition to rocks, Earth is full of minerals. In fact, rocks themselves are made out of minerals. These are naturally occurring solids found in the earth.This fascinating guide to rocks and minerals combines fact-packed, easy-to-read text with colorful and quirky illustrations.

What would it be like to live in a world without writing?This series takes readers (Ages 8-12) on a historical journey, examining how people coped in the past and how they developed ingenious ways to make life safer and less unpleasant. Each book features full-color cartoon-style illustrations and hilarious speech bubbles to heighten interest, making the series attractive even to reluctant readers.It is so integral to our everyday lives that you probably never stop to think. It's all around us, in the text we get from a friend, the homework we have to do after school, and our favorite book that we read at night. Like it or loathe it, writing is essential to how we communicate with each other on a daily basis. But what did people do before we developed the ability to read and write?

Learn about how robots are helping humanity by doing jobs that are too dangerous for people, exploring places that humans cannot reach, and becoming our helpers and companions.This series takes readers (Ages 8-12) on a historical journey, examining how people coped in the past and how they developed ingenious ways to make life safer and less unpleasant. Each book features full-color cartoon-style illustrations and hilarious speech bubbles to heighten interest, making the series attractive even to reluctant readers.Robots are machines that can be programmed to carry out a series of complex actions automatically or under the control of an operator. They come in all shapes and sizes, from mechanical arms and driverless vehicles to walking, talking, artificial people.

This interactive series will enthrall young and reluctant readers (Ages 8-12) by making them part of the story.Invites readers to become the main character. Each book uses humorous illustrations to depict the sometimes dark and horrific side of life during important eras in history. You are a young man of noble family in the Central Valley of Mexico. Your city is about to be visited by your overlords, the Aztecs: fearsome warriors who practice human sacrifice. Will you be one of their victims? This new extended edition includes a map and a timeline of the Aztec civilization, and a selection of chilling facts.

Explore the technology that lies behind all types of automobiles.The Science of Engineering series feature different forms of architecture and transport engineering. Features include funny and interesting illustrations; real-world science examples; side panels to tackle complex subject matter in a fun and relevant way; detailed glossary and more.This is a fascinating guide to the science of automobiles of all kinds. Readers explore the technology that lies behind everything from passenger cars, school buses, and taxis, to delivery vans, fuel trucks, and emergency vehicles. They'll see how some of the same scientific principles that are learned in the classroom - like force, energy, and motion - are at work with these vehicles.

Libraries are the keepers of the world's memory.This series takes readers (Ages 8-12) on a historical journey, examining how people coped in the past and how they developed ingenious ways to make life safer and less unpleasant. Each book features full-color cartoon-style illustrations and hilarious speech bubbles to heighten interest, making the series attractive even to reluctant readers.For 5,000 years and more, libraries have been gathering and preserving writings of all kinds. They're storehouses of knowledge, and imagination, and fun. Learn about how these places and their collections of written words allow us to check our facts, find important information, share stories, beliefs and ideas, build communities, make things, and learn valuable life skills.