Books in Vera Adventures series

Bold and experimental art activities and for children who love to draw outside of the lines Modern Art Adventures introduces young artists to groundbreaking masterpieces and fresh techniques, then lets them loose to create their own works of art. Authors and educators Maja Pitamic and Jill Laidlaw explore the stories and meanings behind 18 well-known works of modern art—including Frida Kahlo’s Self-portrait with Small Monkey, Edvard Munch’s The Scream, Jackson Pollock’s Lavender Mist, and Banksy’s Flower—giving readers inspiration for these kid-tested, exciting, and creative projects. Children create two artworks based on the techniques and visual effects of the each featured piece of art and the projects cover a wide range of media, from tissue paper mosaics to stencils to comic cut-outs, with a variety of difficulty levels, always encouraging and expanding the child’s natural creative abilities. No prior knowledge of modern art is required, just enthusiasm for the subject and a willingness to discover.

Some Super Villains are just too powerful for one Super Hero alone to conquer — and this is where The Avengers come in! These brave adventurers have been using their powers to protect the Earth for many years — but once they join forces, they become truly unbeatable. From Iron Man to the Hulk, meet all the fascinating Heroes that make up Earth's mightiest team of Super Heroes in the all-new DK Adventures: Marvel Avengers: Battle Against Ultron.

Featuring the most exciting duels and epic battles that have ever been fought in the Star Wars galaxy, DK Adventures: Star Wars: Jedi Battles will show you lightsaber techniques, deadly weapons, other-world allies, and just how the Jedi succeed in battle. Let the journey begin! Good books build great readers. Created in consultation with literacy experts, DK Adventures will appeal to proficient readers who have a love of reading for both information and pleasure. With rich, descriptive vocabulary, and interactive elements including diaries, recipes, poetry, character profiles, diagrams, and articles to support the stories, DK Adventures focus on engaging, action-packed topics that will develop comprehension skills and continue to build a child's love of reading. Supports the Common Core State Standards.

From a spectacular giant dump truck to a speedy little race go-cart, The Big Book of Things That Go is a visual and informative look at a subject that fascinates kids.Full of detailed artwork and photographs of real-life vehicles, The Big Book of Things That Go is an enticing collection of trucks, cars, motorcycles, and more that will excite every child. This visual guide features simple but informative text and interactive questions that encourage young children to make their own discoveries about the vehicles around them and how and why machines are useful. Broken into two-page-spread themes, young readers can learn about various vehicles including fire trucks, tractors, cranes, and much more.With striking images and informative text, The Big Book of Things That Go is the perfect guide for young readers who want to learn more about different machines used around the world.Full of amazing images and packed with fun facts, The Big Book series is the ultimate first book on kids' favorite topics, from dinosaurs to planes to things that go. The oversize format showcases bold and colorful images and the easy-to-understand texts provide a wealth of information while staying clear and informative for young and eager readers.

Three-dimensional art is bold, tactile, and fun—in other words, perfect for children who love to get their hands dirty.Three-Dimensional Art Adventures introduces young artists, ages 6 and up, to groundbreaking masterpieces and fresh techniques, then lets them loose. Children will: - Weave a tapestry using yarn and a shoebox loom - Use found and recycled materials to assemble a still-life collage - Tie-dye a T-shirt using several pattern-creation techniques - Design and build a shadow box on a personal theme - Use modeling clay and pipe cleaners to create a spider sculpture - Create a colorful flower arrangement using wire, tissue paper, and other materials - Fold and cut paper, cardboard, and magazine photos to build an elaborate street scene - Carve a portrait into a clay slab and paint the raised surfaces to enhance the image - and 28 other engaging, hands-on projects.Authors and educators Maja Pitamic and Jill Laidlaw also explore the stories and meanings behind 18 well-known works of three-dimensional art as inspiration for these kid-tested, exciting, and creative projects. No prior knowledge of three-dimensional art is required—just enthusiasm for the subject and a willingness to discover.

Learn valuable programming skills while building your own Minecraft adventure! If you love playing Minecraft and want to learn how to code and create your own mods, this book was designed just for you. Working within the game itself, you'll learn to set up and run your own local Minecraft server, interact with the game on PC, Mac and Raspberry Pi, and develop Python programming skills that apply way beyond Minecraft. You'll learn how to use coordinates, how to change the player’s position, how to create and delete blocks and how to check when a block has been hit. The adventures aren't limited to the virtual – you'll also learn how to connect Minecraft to a BBC micro:bit so your Minecraft world can sense and control objects in the real world! The companion website gives you access to tutorial videos to make sure you understand the book, starter kits to make setup simple, completed code files, and badges to collect for your accomplishments. Written specifically for young people by professional Minecraft geeks, this fun, easy-to-follow guide helps you expand Minecraft for more exciting adventures, and put your personal stamp on the world you create. Your own Minecraft world will be unlike anyone else's on the planet, and you'll pick up programming skills that will serve you for years to come on other devices and projects. Among other things, you will: Write Minecraft programs in Python® on your Mac®, PC or Raspberry Pi® Build houses, structures, and make a 3D duplicating machine Build intelligent objects and program an alien invasion Build huge 2D and 3D structures like spheres and pyramids Build a custom game controller using a BBC micro:bit™ Plan and write a complete interactive arena game Adventures in Minecraft teaches you how to make your favourite game even better, while you learn to program by customizing your Minecraft journey.

Classic masterpieces are bold, fascinating, and sometimes shocking—in other words, perfect for creative children who love to be inspired. Fine Art Adventures introduces young artists, ages 6 and up, to key masterpieces and interesting techniques, then lets them loose. Children will: create a Pointillist artwork with paints and a toothbrush, work with plaster to recreate a cave painting, use cardboard and coat hangers to design a mobile sculpture, build a dramatic jungle scene inside an old shoebox, and many more engaging, hands-on projects.Authors and educators Maja Pitamic and Jill Laidlaw also explore the stories and meanings behind 18 well-known classic masterpieces from art history as inspiration for these kid-tested, exciting, and creative projects. No prior knowledge of art is required—just enthusiasm for the subject and a willingness to discover.

The complete beginner's guide to Python, for young people who want to start today Adventures in Python is designed for 11-to 15-year olds who want to teach themselves Python programming, but don't know where to start. Even if you have no programming experience at all, this easy to follow format and clear, simple instruction will get you up and running quickly. The book walks you through nine projects that teach you the fundamentals of programming in general, and Python in particular, gradually building your skills until you have the confidence and ability to tackle your own projects. Video clips accompany each chapter to provide even more detailed explanation of important concepts, so you feel supported every step of the way. Python is one of the top programming languages worldwide, with an install base in the millions. It's a favourite language at Google, YouTube, the BBC, and Spotify, and is the primary programming language for the Raspberry Pi. As an open-source language, Python is freely downloadable, with extensive libraries readily available, making it an ideal entry into programming for the beginner. Adventures in Python helps you get started, giving you the foundation you need to follow your curiosity. Start learning Python at its most basic level Learn where to acquire Python and how to set it up Understand Python syntax and interpretation for module programming Develop the skills that apply to any programming language Python programming skills are invaluable, and developing proficiency gives you a head start in learning other languages like C++, Objective-C, and Java. When learning feels like fun, you won't ever want to stop – so get started today with Adventures in Python.

Build cool Raspberry Pi projects with no experience required! Adventures in Raspberry Pi, 3rd Edition is the fun guide to learning programming. Starting from the very basics and building skill upon skill, you'll learn developing fundamentals―even if you've never programmed before. Learning is exciting when you're working your way through cool projects, but the concepts you learn and the skills you master will take you further than you ever thought possible. You'll learn how your Raspberry Pi 3 works and what it can do as you create stories and games, program shapes, code music, and even build Minecraft worlds with projects designed specifically for kids 11 to 15. Author Carrie Anne Philbin is a former high school teacher, and she showcases her skills with clear, easy to follow instructions and explanations every step of the way. If you're interested in programming but find other books hard to understand, this book is your ideal starting point for mastering the Raspberry Pi. Inexpensive, non-intimidating, yet surprisingly versatile, the Raspberry Pi 3 is an ideal way to learn programming. Updated to align with the newest board, this book will teach you fundamental programming skills while having a ton of fun! Get acquainted with your Raspberry Pi's bits and pieces Take control of your Pi's "insides" with simple commands Program games, code music, and build a jukebox Discover where your new skills can take you next The tiny, credit-card sized Raspberry Pi has become a huge hit among kids―and adults―interested in programming. It does everything your desktop can do, but with a few basic programming skills, you can make it do so much more. With simple instructions, fun projects, and solid skills, Adventures in Raspberry Pi is the ultimate kids' programming guide!

Smithsonian Adventures in Space contains everything young space explorers need to learn about the planets and beyond. After reading about the planets and space exploration through the Smithsonian's collection, kids can use the shaped box to create their own Moon landing scene with dioramas, cardstock models, and figurines. Whether it's Jupiter's moons or Neil Armstrong's space suit, Smithsonian Adventures in Space contains everything kids need for an intergalactic adventure!

Saddle up for an adventure with two sisters as they revitalize their school's horseback riding club while also helping out at their family's bakery in DK Adventures: Horse Club. Emma adores horses as much as she idolizes her older sister, Amanda. She dreams about riding a cinnamon-colored horse in a show alongside her one day. Emma's wish looks like it's about to come true — but it's not such a smooth ride. Join Emma and Amanda at Paddock Promises' camp and learn how to handle, groom, tack up and ride a horse, meet horses from myths and legends, plus get a recipe to bake sweet pony cupcakes in DK Adventures: Horse Club. DK Adventures are an innovative mix of narrative and nonfiction for kids ages 8-11 featuring engaging, action-packed stories that help kids build their skills in vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, and critical thinking while developing a love of reading. With diaries, recipes, poetry, instructions, graphics, or songs, the genre spreads in each DK Adventures title enhance the story and reinforce curriculum learning, while the expansive range of entertaining nonfiction subjects will appeal to boys and girls everywhere. Supports the Common Core State Standards.

In The First Telephone, discover Alexander Graham Bell's story and his determination to be the first to invent a transmitter to carry a spoken message that would transform communications. With the help of Thomas Watson, Bell perseveres and records his step-by-step progress against the wishes of his sponsors. With Elisha Gray and many others are submitting patents too, the race is on.DK Adventures is a nonfiction series for kids ages 8-11 featuring visually rich theme spreads, and fascinating facts that help kids build their skills in vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, and critical thinking while developing a love of reading. Designed to keep interest high, build knowledge, and enrich the reading experience with fascinating background information, each title in the DK Adventures series is filled with information yet eminently accessible, and available in a wide range of kid-favorite topics including rain forests, animals, rocks, and shipwrecks.