Best Selling Books by Anna Claybourne

Presents a tour of Renaissance Europe, discussing facts about fashion, diet, houses, religion, politics, culture, transportation, crime, and illness.

Reveals the real-life stories behind dozens of brilliant ideas, from the invention of the wheel, to the hi-tech gadgets of today. Describes the successes - and failures - of inventions in transport, food, household gadgets, communication, clothing, medicine and more. Humorously illustrated by Adam Larkum, with cartoons and simple diagrams showing how the inventions work. Includes invention timelines, a glossary and internet links to websites with games, biographies and tips on becoming an inventor.

"Animals have many disgusting and dreadful survival techniques. From lethal defences to revolting eating habits, this book is full of yucky, painful, and fascinating facts about animal adaptations and evolution"--Back cover.

The Mermaid Atlaswill be your ultimate companion in discovering all your merfolk facts! All over the world, wherever there''s water, there are stories, legends and eyewitness accounts of mermaids. These magical, mesmerizing people of the deep have been well known for thousands of years, and almost every country and culture has a tale to tell about them. People have written, sung and passed on rumours about mermaids since ancient times, and often reported their own mermaid encounters, too. Do you know the facts and stories surrounding the magical and, often elusive, world of mermaids? This gorgeously illustrated new book includes everything you wanted to know about these mysterious and captivating creatures. Discover their secrets in this beautiful compendium, written by children''s author Anna Claybourne and illustrated throughout by award-winning Spanish illustrator Miren Asiain Lora. The colourful spreads will take you on an-around-the-world journey, starting in Europe and the warm Mediterranean to the icy Baltic, as well as through countless isles, lakes and waterfalls, continuing to Africa with its immense lakes, cave pools and swampy deltas. Asia is the next stop with its thousands of islands, beaches, rivers and lakes while Oceania, surrounded by the Pacific Ocean with its scattered islands, seems to be the perfect environment for these mysterious creatures. The journey ends with North and South America, where there are sightings of water spirits and fish-tailed ocean goddesses throughout the whole continent, home to the freezing Arctic, the tropical Caribbean as well as the world''s largest jungle. The Mermaid Atlaswill introduce you to the merfolk of the world, whether it''s the beautiful Selkies of the Scottish seas, the wily Iara of Brazil who love to outwit travellers or the fearful Ningyo of Japan who can give you eternal life.

''Forms of Energy'' explores the different types of energy that are around us all the time. You will discover how energy can be moving or stored. You will learn what causes sound, heat, and light energy. You will also find out how different sources of energy can be turned into electricity to power our machines and gadgets. So come on a fantastic journey into the world of forms of energy! Sci-Hi is an engaging, comprehensive, and visually stimulating series that takes learning science core curriculum to a whole new level.

Have you ever made a balloon kebab, written a secret message with invisible ink, or grown crystals in a jar? Find out how to perform lots of amazing experiments at home and learn all about the super-cool science behind them! Brimming with exciting, easy-to-perform experiments this book guarantees hours of fun for budding scientists aged 7+. ABOUT THE SERIES: Discovery Pack is a science reference series for kids, focusing on a variety of exciting topics from the human body to space exploration. Vibrantly illustrated in full-colour these books make science accessible and engaging.

Christmas customs, festive food, present-giving, songs and traditional stories from around the world with easy-reading text for children who have just started reading alone. Part of the Usborne Reading Programme developed with reading experts at the University of Roehampton. "Irresistible for children learning to read''" - Child Education Plus

Like humans, theses insects live in communities with home containing ''rooms'' and colonies with streets. Work is shared out, food is ''farmed'' and the young cared for. This book describes the astonishing organisation in the lives of these social insects. Ages 7-9.

This book describes the parts of a plant, how plants make their food, and how plants reproduce.

Why does a band sound so good together? Each instrument has its own special sound. Discover the various properties of sound in this title.

This book is an introduction to gene science, briefly explaining GM (genetically modified) foods, cloning, the Human Genome Project, gene therapy, designer babies, and DNA testing.

This no-nonsense series introduces a wide range of non-fiction subjects using a straightforward narrative approach. Young readers will find these lively texts on high interest subjects very approachable. A classic and uncluttered design uses a mix of photos and artwork to support the text, which is broken up into short chapters. Each book contains a simple contents, glossary and index. Tornadoes gives a first look at the swirling world of twisters. Simple diagrams explain how they start and exciting photos follow their progression to 500 kph windstorms.

Genetics is one of the most controversial topics in the news today, arousing strong feelings in many lively debates. This book will help young readers understand the issues surrounding it by explaining what genes and DNA are and how they affect life.

Toasters, toilets, and televisions, computers, cars and chocolate bars, flying machines and even your jeans ... All these everyday things, and many more, are only here because someone bothered to invent them. this book reveals the real-life stories and bright sparks behind dozens of brilliant ideas - from ancient advances such as the wheel to the hi-tech gadgets of the modern world. [back cover].

This series introduces you to the highest, longest, widest, and most unusual landforms in the world! Books include: maps to show the location of each landform, information about how the landforms were created, an introduction to the many plants and animals that call each landform home, and plenty of amazing facts.

Sometimes in life things are bound to get noisy, and if that''s the case, why not learn from them? With the help of this informative book, readers perform exciting experiments and learn why and how certain items make certain sounds. Accessible step-by-step instructions correlate closely with eye-popping illustrations, ensuring readers of many ages and levels can follow along with these amazing activities. Each exciting project encourages readers to use their critical thinking skills and draw conclusions based on the experiments they perform.

"A dynamic and comprehensive introduction to physical geography, which explores our world''s most dramatic features. It gets to the heart of fiery volcanoes, uncovers the causes of earthquakes and looks at incredible weather phenomena."--Adapted from back cover

Describes the similarities and differences between animals that look alike, including eels, sea snakes, fluffy gliders, and flying squirrels.

A fact-packed, illustrated introduction to the human body and how it works. Full of extraordinary photographs plus activities and experiments to try, it explores everything from allergies to brain waves, from x-rays to zits.

Tiny Science - giving MINI-scientists MAXIMUM understanding of the MICROscopic - get to grips with millions of microscopic creatures! A fun and visual series exploring the science of things we cannot see with the naked eye, zooming right in on the itty-bitty creatures, objects and machines that have an enormous impact on us and the world around us. Perfect for children keen to get up-close to the building blocks of our world. Tiny Science: Microscopic Creatures places teeny life forms UNDER THE MICROSCOPE to find answers to unBEASTable questions, such as ... - What is the absolute tiniest insect? - Is soil alive? - What exactly is an eyelash mite? Fun cartoon-style illustrations interact with real-life pictures of many amazing microscopic features, making this series ideal for engaging readers aged 8 and up. It''s time to explore the infinitesimal! Other Tiny Science books in the series: Germs Cells Genes and DNA Atoms and Molecules Nanotechnology

Which coast is home to man-eating tigers? Why is one coastline known as "Skeleton Coast"? Which coastal feature is so big it is visible from space? The world has many types of coasts, from long, sandy beaches to swampy mangrove forests. Find out about the incredible features that are found along the world''s coasts, and the many different animals and plants that make their homes here.

Changing the temperature of certain things can result in some pretty cool outcomes. Readers of this innovative volume use heat and cold to perform a number of incredible experiments. Each project features concise, step-by-step instructions and colorful images that make it easy to follow along and learn from the activities. Helpful sidebars shed even more light on why and how the experiments work and help reinforce key science curricula. Each project is rated easy, medium, or difficult, making it simple to find the best project for a particular skill level.

This is the perfect introduction to the largest animal group on Earth for all budding entomologists. Each topic is presented in a neat 30-second soundbite, supported by a 3-second flash summary and a full-page colorful artwork. Fun active missions support the topics and encourage kids to find out more. With stunning artwork, the attention-grabbing format is engaging and immediate, introducing readers aged from 8 up to the wonderful world of bugs.

"A discussion of major types of natural disasters, including descriptions of some of the most destructive; explanations of these phenomena, what causes them, and where they occur; and information about how to prepare for and survive these forces of nature. Features include an activity, glossary, list of resources, and index"--Provided by publisher.

Have you ever been in a cave? Most of us haven''t, but there are adventurers and scientists who love finding new caves to explore. If you ever had the chance to climb down into a cave, what would you need to know? What would you pack? Who would you want to come with you? This book gives you the knowledge you need to plan your adventure!

A fact-packed, beautifully illustrated, all-around introduction to the human body and how it works. Engaging, friendly text and clear, simple explanations. Experiments and activities show how to take your own pulse, test your reaction time and fool your brain with optical illusions. Amazing facts and records, including the world''s tallest man, the oldest person ever and the longest fingernails on record. Recommended, regularly reviewed websites and downloadable pictures can be accessed via links at www.usborne-quicklinks.com.

A journey into the heart of a cell, covering the structure, function and importance of this unit of life. It outlines the history of genetic science and debates some of the issues, such as genetic engineering, cloning and GM foods. Links to relevant Internet sites are included.

An innovative series with engaging sidebars, colorful photography, and labeled diagrams uses familiar, everyday objects to present science concepts such as sound, motion, states of matter, and other science curriculum topics.

Written in British English, Who Discovered Natural Selection? explains how scientists worked out the way in which living things evolve.

Written in British English, Who Split the Atom? explores the ways in which scientists uncovered the secrets of atoms-the tiny particles of matter that make up our world.

This volume explains how reproduction works among different orders of animals and plants.

Hands-on experiments are one of the best ways to learn important science lessons, and what better way to do so is there than to get a little messy? The projects in this book feature concise, step-by-step instructions and colorful illustrations that help engage and aid readers in completing the experiments. Eye-catching sidebars provide further insight on how and why each experiment works, and encourage readers to draw their own conclusions. These high-interest projects are a fun way to reinforce important lessons from elementary science curricula.

This fascinating introduction explores every aspect of a vital subject. It takes you deep inside a cell to see where genes are found and goes behind the headlines to explain cloning, gene therapy, the human genome, DNA testing, GM foods, genetic engineering and much more. Stunning 3D artwork shows exactly how gene science works and clear, friendly text and simple, step-by-step diagrams provide concise, enlightening information, supplemented by recommended websites.

Discusses matter, from atoms and elements and how they bond to the properties of solids, liquids, and gases.

Salvador Dali is just one artist that employed the use of double images in his art. This historical practice can really puzzle someone looking at Dali''s artwork, until they see the second image. This book introduces readers to interesting artistic concepts as well as how the human brain perceives them. Readers draw connections between scientific theory, art, and their own experiences looking at the many optical illusions found in each chapter. This book is a mind-bending adventure.

Radar delivers streetwise, hot-topic reads for kids. With bold, fresh design and topics that have bags of kid-appeal, Radar will encourage children to read - and keep reading! Current topics are presented with a strong magazine-style flavour, perfect, down time. reads or springboard for class discussion. Ages 8+.