Books published by publisher Under the Stars

Zeus the hamster and his "god squad" are back to battle for the title of champion in the third title in this series that takes readers on a rollicking romp through Greek mythology.Our story begins with a challenge: The Trials of Hairy-Clees are only for the bravest and most awesome gods of all. Who among them will become the ultimate champion?The pets of Mount Olympus Pet Center are a true team: They conquer epic quests as easily as Ares the pug scarfs down Mutt Nuggets and they vanquish enemies who are pricklier than the spines on Poseidon the pufferfish. But when a chicken named Hermes shows up one day, things take a turn, and before the team knows it, the Oracle has spoken and the mysterious Trials of Hairy-Clees begin! Who will become top god? And can Zeus learn to share the limelight to fight alongside Hermes?Join Zeus the overconfident hamster, Athena the wise cat, Ares the treat-loving pug, Poseidon the proud pufferfish, and Demeter the loyal cricket on another laugh-out-loud adventure through Greek mythology.

Cruz Coronado and his fellow explorers are jolted from their normal routines at Explorer Academy's classroom at sea and thrust into survival mode as the adventure continues in the fifth book in the thrilling middle-grade fiction series.On an island nation in the Indian Ocean, the explorers venture through a vast underwater world and take part in a friendly robotics competition. But the tides of good fortune change quickly. Suddenly, Team Cousteau jumps into action to rescue a faculty member from the brink of death. Meanwhile, the team follows the Cruz's mother's clues to a magnificent tomb and center of spirituality precariously perched on the side of a cliff. There, Cruz is confronted by a familiar foe who's determined to stop him from completing his most important mission of all: Retrieving the final pieces of his mother's cipher. In this life-or-death showdown, Cruz witnesses the ultimate sacrifice and uncovers a hidden message that makes him question his own mortality.

Grab your pencil and play more than 100 awesome games in this jam-packed companion book to the new Zeus the Mighty book series from National Geographic Kids.Take a personality quiz to find out which Greek god you are. Color by number to find out what Zeus is exploring in the Mount Olympus Pet Center. Design your own pet rescue facility. And spot the difference between two hilarious pictures of Zeus and his gang of gods. Enjoy these and many other fun challenges in this amazing activity book. Illustrated with the adorable characters and the hilarious adventures from the series, this book lets kids have fun solving puzzles and discovering even more about the fascinating worlds of Zeus the Mighty and Greek mythology.

Leap into the world of Zeus the hamster and his gang of gods as they solve the mystery of the labyrinth in the second book in this hilarious modern-day take on Greek mythology.Our story begins in the depths of a winding labyrinth, the domain of a fearsome Minotaur who threatens all who live on Mount Olympus. Can Zeus the Mighty save the day?The critters are back and on the quest of a lifetime! Join Zeus the overconfident hamster, Athena the wise cat, Ares the treat-loving pug, Poseidon the proud pufferfish, and Demeter the loyal grasshopper in this laugh-out-loud adventure.Welcome to Mount Olympus, a pet supply and rescue center that sits high atop a hill in Athens, Georgia. By day, the pets there do what all pets do: Chew on a bone or curl up for a catnap. Under the careful watch of their Greek history obsessed caretaker, Artie, the pets listen in to her favorite podcast, Greeking Out, each night. But under the cover of nightfall, Zeus and his cohorts spring free from their cages and pursue quests bestowed upon them by the magical all-knowing Oracle of Wi-Fi. And once again, she has spoken: There's a threat in Mount Olympus Pet Center, and it's going to take guts, smarts, and strength to triumph. Join Zeus and his friends on this rollicking romp through a winding labyrinth (the center's duct system) and Greek mythology.

Greek mythology meets cute talking animals in this first adventure in a hilarious new middle grade fiction series, starring Zeus the mighty ... king of the gods ... ruler of minions ... HAMSTER, and the crazy crew of critters of the Mount Olympus Pet Center.Welcome to the Mount Olympus Pet Center, which sits high on a hill in Athens ... Georgia. The owner, Artie, has a soft spot for animals that need a forever home, and she has rescued a menagerie of creatures, each named after a powerful god or goddess. But these animals aren't just pets with cool names ...Meet Zeus, a tiny hamster with a mighty appetite for power. His cage sits atop a high shelf so he can watch the other pets from above. But being king of the gods is a tough job: You've got to issue orders and decrees, make sure to stay in tip-top shape by running on your exercise wheel, and most importantly, lead your minions on epic journeys. And Zeus the Mighty has one giant task in front of him: Find the "Golden Fleas" and solidify his position before the other gods rebel.Get ready to laugh, cheer, and learn with this adorable and quirky cast of characters in their unforgettable first adventure -- a reimagining of the tale of the Golden Fleece.

Adventure, danger, and a thrilling global mission await 12-year-old Cruz Coronado as he joins an elite school for explorers.Cruz leaves his tranquil home in Hawaii to join 23 talented kids from around the globe to train at the Explorer Academy with the world's leading scientists to become the next generation of great explorers. But for Cruz, there's more at stake. No sooner has he arrived at the Academy than he discovers that his family has a mysterious past with the organization that could jeopardize his future. In the midst of codebreaking and cool classes, new friends and augmented reality expeditions, Cruz must tackle the biggest question of all: Who is out to get him, and why? Readers can get in on the excitement with puzzles and codes embedded throughout.

It's an adventure of a lifetime when Cruz Coronado sets sail for the shores of Iceland and Norway aboard the Explorer Academy ship to continue his studies at sea. But, things take a turn while exploring the icy north, when he embarks on a dangerous mission to uncover the first piece of an important puzzle his mother left behind.In the exciting follow-up to The Nebula Secret in the 7-book Explorer Academy series, Cruz, Sailor, and Emmett, along with their new ally Bryndis, embark on their first globe-trotting mission aboard the ship Orion. Cruz jumps right back into school and starts using the latest technology in submersible underwater dives, but is soon reminded of the dangers of exploration when his equipment fails and he almost drowns. Determined to keep his eyes on the prize, Cruz sneaks away to try to find answers, but unknowingly lures his friends into bigger trouble. When a friend of Cruz's mom meets an untimely end, Cruz's luck really seems about to run out and the questions multiply. What does the message mean? Where will it lead? Who is following him? And why? This captivating book is the sequel every Explorer Academy fan is waiting to read!

Unleash your inner adventurer in your very own Explorer Academy field journal as you undertake missions to explore your favorite spots, boldly plot future world travels, and record your innermost thoughts and feelings along the way.You've read along as Cruz Coronado and his fellow explorers travel the globe. Now let National Geographic Kids help YOU explore and chronicle your own adventures! Go on cool training missions in your backyard, draw your own pair of emotoglasses, plan out your future world travels, learn the tips and tricks that real National Geographic explorers use in the field, and plot where you would hide your cipher pieces in your own mission-saving scavenger hunt! These and many more exciting prompts will help you discover your inner explorer and determine if you have what it takes to be a part of the Explorer Academy!

The mystery deepens and the action intensifies for 12-year-old Cruz Coronado and friends in the exciting third book in the Explorer Academy series.The adventure continues for Cruz, Emmett, Sailor, and Bryndis as they continue their studies at sea and travel to exotic locations around the world. A mysterious person alerts Cruz to impending danger while he and a few trusted pals explore ancient ruins in Petra, Jordan, and search for another piece of the puzzle his mother left behind. Worst of all, now his father has gone missing, which prompts Aunt Marisol, his number one protector, to leave the ship in search of him. Who is the new professor who takes her place? How does the new technology he introduces help or hurt Cruz's quest? Why is Nebula determined to stop Cruz before he turns 13? The clock is ticking as his first teen birthday draws near ... a milestone that will change his life forever, one way or another.

When middle school mishaps happen, five friends form the S.M.A.R.T. Squad and use their collective skills and the power of science to bring order to their school.Science reigns supreme with this squad of young brainiacs. Join Izzy Newton and her friends in the first adventure of this fun new middle-grade fiction series from National Geographic Kids. A crowded new school and a crazy class schedule is enough to make Izzy feel dizzy. It may be the first day of middle school, but as long as her best friends Allie Einstein and Charlie Darwin are by her side, Izzy knows it'll all be okay. However, first-day jitters take an icy turn when Izzy's old pal Marie Curie comes back to town. Instead of a warm welcome, Marie gives her former pal the cold shoulder. The problems pile up when the school's air-conditioning goes on the fritz and the temperature suddenly drops to near freezing. The adults don't seem to have a clue how to thaw out the school. Cold temperatures and a frigid friendship? Izzy has had enough of feeling like an absolute zero. She rallies the girls to use their brainpower and science smarts to tackle the school's chilly mystery ... and hopefully to fix a certain frozen friendship along the way. Will the girls succeed and become the heroes of Atom Middle School?

Discover more about the incredible near-future technology featured in the Explorer Academy series and the real-life inspiration behind the science.You've gone on adventures with Cruz Coronado and his fellow recruits as they communicated with whales using the Universal Cetacean Communicator, camouflaged themselves using the Lumagine shadow badge, and deployed octopods to make speedy escapes. Now dive further into the near-future world of Explorer Academy by learning about the real-life scientific discoveries that inspired the gadgets. This cool book profiles real-life National Geographic explorers who devised innovations like RoboBees (Mell); it features cutting-edge tech that's actually being developed, and provides empowering stories of how tech is enabling conservation successes. Fields of study cover wearable technology, submersibles, robotics, medicine, space farming, everyday technology, and the world of the future. Every good explorer craves information, and now it's time to amp up your technology knowledge. After all, the near-future world of Explorer Academy is just across the horizon, and much of its tech is already shaping the world we live in.

A major discovery forces the Explorer Academy into the limelight in The Star Dunes, but Cruz has much more on his mind than 15 minutes of fame. A new face on board the ship causes Cruz's worlds to collide, just as a close call tears them apart. En route to Africa, Team Cousteau is now down a major player, and Cruz can't help but be preoccupied by the hole in his life. The discovery of his mom's next clue leads him to the most exotic location yet-a vast desert-with no other information to lead the way, while an unlikely ally helps Cruz pursue another piece of the puzzle. Just as things seem like they might turn out all right, Dr. Fanchon Quills has a technological breakthrough which gives Cruz a glimpse into the past and reveals more about his future than he may want to know.