Books in Young Oxford Books series

There are more than 5 billion (that's a 5 with nine zero's) human beings on Earth, and each of us is unique. Yet we all share the same human characteristics--our origins, how our bodies work, how our minds function, and how we live together and communicate. With so many people living together on the planet, what is the secret of our success? The Young Oxford Book of the Human Being answers this question and many more as it unlocks the secrets of human beings. The essential guide to what makes us human, this volume is packed with colorful photographs and artwork, and it covers all aspects of human life, from the building blocks of our bodies to living in the global village. Did you know, for example, that there are more than 100 billion nerve cells in your brain? That's as many stars as there are in a galaxy. Or that it would take five CD-ROMs to hold the amount of information stored by the DNA in just one of your body cells? Author David Glover also explores the mysteries of our minds--how we perceive things and remember them, and how our thoughts and emotions work. What are dreams? How does memory work? How do we learn? We are also unique in the ways we live together, and fascinating chapters explore the groups we form, our cultures and beliefs, and our incredible inventiveness. The Young Oxford Guide to the Human Being is the complete guide to the most advanced and influential creatures on Earth--us.

"Look up on a clear, dark night and you will see the sky is full of twinkling specks of light. What are these stars and planets? How far away are they? Can we learn more about them?" Simon and Jacqueline Mitton begin The Young Oxford Book of Astronomy by tapping into that sense of mystery and wonder that the endless night sky stirs in each of us. They set out the aims and methods of astronomy, such as how astronomers map and measure the universe. Then they turn to our own solar system, detailing vital statistics in "Fact Files" for each planet, and highlighting important discoveries or remarkable characteristics. Finally, they move to the stars and the great wheeling galaxies of the vast universe. They tell us the life cycle of a star, describe a nova explosion in electrifying detail, and offer a time line that describes what was happening on earth when the light we see today first set out from a galaxy far, far away. This story of astronomy unfolds alongside hundreds of magnificent color illustrations--the latest photographs from the world's largest telescopes, the most exciting images from space probes, and many fascinating explanatory diagrams and artists' visualizations. The index and glossary are excellent research tools, and a section devoted to star charts will delight any budding astronomers. The Young Oxford Book of Astronomy is a great book for a curious child, but adults will find it useful and fascinating as well. It's an essential guide to the greatest show on Earth--the starry, starry sky.

Archaeologists are like detectives investigating the past. They look for clues and analyze their findings in order to unravel the complex story of the everyday lives of our ancestors. The Young Oxford Book of Archaeology begins by asking: What is archaeology? We find out how archaeologists work. How do they find a site? How do they excavate? How do they record and interpret what they find? We travel through time, stopping off at archaeological sites all over the world--on land, underground, and beneath the sea--from Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania, where the first humans appeared, through Mohenjodaro in Pakistan, where one of the first great cities flourished, to the Viking sites in Canada. The story is brought up-to-date with the Garbage Project, where archaeologists have used people's trash to build up a picture of modern life. Illustrated with stunning photographs and reconstructions, each case study examines and interprets all the evidence. The result is the essential guide for the archaeologist in all of us.

Ghost stories around the campfire or under the covers are a favorite pastime of children all over the world. Dennis Pepper has collected classic and contemporary legends, folktales, short stories, and poems from many lands and cultures that feature a wide assortment of ghosts. Some are chillingly spooky, others merely silly and strange. All are good and scary and guaranteed to curl your toes and rattle your bones. Some of the best writers and artists for children take great pleasure in sending a chill up your spine in the tale of "The Haunted Mill," the eerie "Spook House," the macabre "Rats," and thirty-five other frightful stories. This is a great book to read aloud or even by yourself (if you dare!).

The Earth is home, according to one estimate, to some 3,000 million million million million living things. But that's just a fraction of those that have existed throughout history. Vast mountain ranges have risen and been worn away. Continents have broken up and drifted across the globe only to collide again to form new land masses. This book is the story of the Earth from its fiery beginning to the arrival of man. An introductory chapter focuses on the processes that underlie the development of life on Earth. Each of the following chapters examines a single period of geological time and introduces us to terrific trilobites, amazing ammonites, dynamic dinosaurs, and humble humans. Throughout are fascinating sidebars and an index, glossary, and extensive timeline are added as excellent study and research tools to enable the reader to access information in several different ways. From the beginning of the universe, through the beginnings of life, to the arrival of humans, The Young Oxford Book of the Prehistoric World tells the story of life and death throughout the centuries, and how every living thing that is or ever was contributes to the rich and complex world that is the Earth today.

Ghost stories around the campfire or under the covers are a favorite pastime of children all over the world. Dennis Pepper has collected classic and contemporary legends, folktales, short stories, and poems from many lands and cultures that feature a wide assortment of ghosts. Some are chillingly spooky, others merely silly and strange. All are good and scary and guaranteed to curl your toes and rattle your bones. Some of the best writers and artists for children take great pleasure in sending a chill up your spine in the tale of "The Haunted Mill," the eerie "Spook House," the macabre "Rats," and 35 other frightful stories. This is a great book to read aloud or even by yourself--if you dare!

With this one-stop guide, you do not need to be in the dark about the movies ever again! The Young Oxford Book of the Movies explores the history of film around the world, from the earliest silent movies to the blockbusters of today, through a century of constant challenge and change. How did the stars of the silent era adapt to the coming of the "talkies," and how did movies face up to the threat from television? Separate chapters look at different genres of films, presenting the greatest comedians, cowboys, heroes, and horrors of the big screen, as well as the actors, directors, and movie moguls who created them. The whole story is lavishly illustrated throughout. An entire section is devoted to the life cycle of a movie, from the initial idea to the gala opening night. See how casting, costumes, makeup, and brilliant special effects are combined to entertain us, and look up your favorite movies in the fact file.

A new edition of the long-running bestseller, The Young Oxford Book of Astronomy, which has been completely revised and updated for the 21st century.This new edition is updated to incorporate major new information, discoveries and technological developments, including the size and age of the Universe, telescope technology and the Mars Pathfinder probe.Beginning with the aims of astronomy, and how astronomers map and measure the universe, we set out on a tour of space, starting with the planets, and then the Sun and our own Galaxy, the Milky Way, before going on to explore the whole Universe of galaxies beyond.The narrative text is accompanied by numerous colour photos (now including Hubble Space Telescope pictures) and diagrams, while special feature boxes offer tips on practical activities such as how to use a star atlas, how to set up an astronomical telescope, and how to see a supernova remnant andthe moons of Jupiter.Simon and Jacqueline Mitton are both members of the International Astronomical Union and fellows of the Royal Astronomical Society. They have worked together as a team to write several books, including Discovering Astronomy and Invitation to Astronomy. Asteroid 4017 was named 'Mitton' inrecognition of the authors' contribution to the public understanding of astronomy. Simon and Jacqueline live in Cambridge.

"Look up on a clear, dark night and you will see the sky is full of twinkling specks of light. What are these stars and planets? How far away are they? Can we learn more about them?" Simon and Jacqueline Mitton begin The Young Oxford Book of Astronomy by tapping into that sense of mystery and wonder that the endless night sky stirs in each of us. They set out the aims and methods of astronomy, such as how astronomers map and measure the universe. Then they turn to our own solar system, detailing vital statistics in "Fact Files" for each planet, and highlighting important discoveries or remarkable characteristics. Finally, they move to the stars and the great wheeling galaxies of the vast universe. They tell us the life cycle of a star, describe a nova explosion in electrifying detail, and offer a time line that describes what was happening on earth when the light we see today first set out from a galaxy far, far away. This story of astronomy unfolds alongside hundreds of magnificent color illustrations--the latest photographs from the world's largest telescopes, the most exciting images from space probes, and many fascinating explanatory diagrams and artists' visualizations. The index and glossary are excellent research tools, and a section devoted to star charts will delight any budding astronomers. The Young Oxford Book of Astronomy is a great book for a curious child, but adults will find it useful and fascinating as well. It's an da whitesaleide to the greatest show on Earth--the starry, starry sky.