Best Selling Books by Jan Adkins

An introduction to simple machines and how they help to lift and move heavy objects.

Originally published: Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1978.

Originally published under title: String. New York: Charles Scribner''s Sons, c1992.

Dear Reader: The Childhood of Famous Americans series, seventy years old in 2002, chronicles the early years of famous American men and women in an accessible manner. Each book is faithful in spirit to the values and experiences that influenced the person¹s development. History is fleshed out with fictionalized details, and conversations have been added to make the stories come alive to today¹s reader, but every reasonable effort has been made to make the stories consistent with the events, ethics, and character of their subjects. These books reaffirm the importance of our American heritage. We hope you learn to love the heroes and heroines who helped shape this great country. And by doing so, we hope you also develop a lasting love for the nation that gave them the opportunity to make their dreams come true. It will do the same for you. Happy Reading! The Editors

Originally published: New York: Scribner''s Sons, c1985.

Frank Lloyd Wright was the most influential architect of the twentieth century?and a rogue genius whose life was a wild ride. Wright routinely ignored unpaid bills, clients? wishes, budget constraints. Only his creative vision mattered to him. That vision transformed the way we live, sweeping aside the Victorian home and creating a uniquely American architecture exemplified by his Prairie Style houses. Wright built hotels, churches, and offices, too, incorporating endless innovations in techniques and materials. Ideas poured out of him throughout his long career; he called it ?shaking the design out of my sleeve.? Jan Adkins?s fascinating biography of this compelling, infuriating, largerthan- life figure will change the way every reader looks at architecture.

It''s 1888 and Bertha Benz''s husband, Karl, has invented the prototype Benz motorwagen. But the German government declares the vehicle illegal, and the church calls it the devil''s work. Unbeknownst to her husband, Bertha steals away with her two sons and drives nearly one hundred miles to prove just how amazing the motorwagen is. Bertha''s mechanical savvy gets the boys to Grandma''s house safely, and the remarkable mother/son road trip reduces global concern about moving vehicles.

The last thing 15-year-old Jack Carter wants to do is give a speech at his grandfather''s 93rd birthday celebration. So off he sails to an island on Buzzard''s Bay near Cape Cod. But he is caught there in a storm, a storm without rain that transports him back in time. And the only person who can help him is another 15-year-old boy--his grandfather.

Forget jousts and quests and dragons—a real knight had real work to do, lots of mouths to feed, and trouble could ride over the hill at any moment. Castles were dark, armor was uncomfortable, and jousts and tournaments (not to mention real battles) were dangerous—and expensive. As in the popular and successful What If You Met a Pirate? an informative, entertaining text and energetic illustrations, diagrams, and cross sections combine to explore a subject with loads of kid appeal.

Originally published: Haoughton Mifflin, 1978.

You know all about cowboys, right? They''re the good guys in the white hats, carrying six-shooters and wearing fancy boots. Well, no. Cowboys weren''t like that at all. Come inside and meet Jake Peavy. He''s the real deal. Jake''s a crackerjack cattle herder but he wears a grubby hat and he limps from when that horse fell on him. He''s small, wiry, has bad teeth, and it''s been a while since he washed. Come spend some time with Jake, his saddlemates, and his fleas. You''ll learn all about riding the range, roping dogies, and surviving in the down-and-dirty world that was the REAL wild West.

"Zorro created by Johnston McCulley"--p. [4]

The boobk covers the world of Pirates: ships and seafaring, maps, weapons, larger than life characters and larger than life stories are vividly presented.

Highlights the life and accomplishments of the inventor of the phonograph, the electric light bulb, and many other devices.

Drawings and text instruct in building sandcastles like the real stone and mortar ones of long ago. Includes descriptions of castle life and explains the roles of such people as the master of hounds, scribe, and page.

The story of the man who changed architecture from "dark, Victorian clutter" to space open to air and movement.

Student textbook and online resources written for the 2011 Literature A syllabus A comprehensive textbook and eText, written and developed by practising IB teachers. Suitable for both Standard and Higher Level, it provides all the support you''d expect from a Pearson Baccalaureate title. Key features: Extensive modelling exercises for students, covering each of the four parts of the curriculum. Clearly differentiated content for both Standard and Higher Level students. Includes further reading lists and glossary of terms. Written in clear, accessible English for students whose first language is not English.

Provides comprehensive coverage of all the latest requirements for the new 2011 curriculum. � Supported with exciting and imaginative online learning resources. � Addresses fully each of the four parts of the curriculum, with a wealth of creative activities and extensive modelling exercises for students. � Gives clear links to TOK and supports the IB Learner Profile throughout. � Enables exam-style assessment opportunities. � Supports each of the assessments and provides guidance on the Extended Essay. � Suitable for use with SL and HL courses.

Presents the life and accomplishments of the American architect, detailing the evolution of his innovative design and the structures which won him fame around the world.

Nathan Chan finds a penny on the street. He goes on a journey to find the true owner of the coin.

From land selection to the completed building, this is how a house takes shape.

Traces the history of letters and examines the evolution of different styles of calligraphy and printing.