Books in Blastoff Readers, Level 1: Backyard Wildlife series

Easy-to-read text with full-color photographs introduce young readers to bears, including their physical characteristics, where they live, and what they eat.

Where does our garbage go after we throw it away? These huge machines pick up our garbage and transport it to landfills. Learn how garbage trucks lift garbage cans, pack down garbage, and get rid of their smelly cargo!

Skid steer loaders are small construction machines that can do many different jobs. They are very useful for working in small places. Follow a skid steer loader as it drills a hole, lifts up a tree, or moves dirt.

For centipedes, leg pairs come in odd numbers. This means they'll never hit exactly one hundred, as their name implies. Still, these elongated arthropods can pound the pavement with a whopping 300 legs or more! Learn why it's so tough to track these speedy crawlers in this informative book for beginning readers.

Early in the morning, farmers wake up to milk their dairy cows. People need milk to make cheese and ice cream. Young readers will learn how cows live on the farm and give people milk.

Giraffes are the tallest land mammals on Earth! They're tall enough to reach the leaves of trees, which they eat with their 20-inch tongues. In this book, children will learn how a giraffe's height is both an advantage and a disadvantage.

"Developed by literacy experts for students in kindergarten through grade three, this book introduces mountain lions to young readers through leveled text and related photos"--

Though they usually walk on all fours, chimpanzees are very similar to humans. They can stand and walk on just two limbs and are known to use tools. Young readers will be fascinated by the intelligent behaviors of chimpanzees.

Giant pandas are large bears that love to eat bamboo. Only found in small numbers in China, they are considered endangered animals. In this book, young readers will learn about the look, diet, and habits of these rare black and white bears.

Named for their short, bobbed tails, bobcats are only about twice the size of house cats. But these nocturnal wildcats aren't afraid to pick on larger animals during their nightly hunts. They stalk prey as big as deer and take them down with a leaping pounce! This title will introduce young readers to the brave bobcat's skills and lifestyle.

When you lose electricity during a storm, a bucket truck may come to the rescue. Bucket trucks help people reach things high up like power lines, trees, or traffic lights. Discover a bucket truck's different uses and how this machine works.

"Developed by literacy experts for students in kindergarten through grade three, this book introduces roadrunners to young readers through leveled text and related photos"--