Best Selling Books by John Farndon

How does a giant cruise ship stay upright? Just how big is an aircraft carrier? How are submarines powered? Join the Stickmen for a close look at how watercrafts work, though be careful—you may get into deep water!

It''s 1718 and the world goes dark for Jamie Flynn, who''s been snatched from the docks to join Blackbeard''s crew of the fearsome pirates. Join him on board as he learns to fight with a cutlass and pistol, and follow him as he storms a treasure ship and shares in the spoils. You''ll need your sea legs and strong nerves to live like a Caribbean pirate!

Introduces the concepts of weather, and provides related hands-on activities for young readers.

This exciting book brings together over 30 of the fastest machines ever invented. With fantastically detailed, true-to-life illustrations showcasing speedy supercars, spectacular superbikes, powerful planes, and mighty monster trucks, Megafast is packed with awesome speed machines that have broken records around the world. With incredible statistics on maximum speeds, facts about engineering, and anecdotes about the journey from factory to road, racetrack, or air, speed-lovers will find themselves entertained for hours. Discover the ultimate, world record-breaking speed machines. From supersonic planes to jet-powered motorcycles, uncover the fastest vehicles ever made. Find out what wins the race for the most powerful engine of all time! Bite-size facts and a dashboard of stats show off each machine''s special features. With some of the world''s most famous vehicles, as well as some you may not have heard of before, Megafast is full of record-breakers, world-class technology, and daring designs. The perfect gift for kids who are fascinated by speed, this eye-catching and captivating book is one to return to again and again.

Text and illustrations examine galaxies, stars, planets, telescopes, rockets, and more.

Follow four centuries of discovery and change, from the moment people set out to explore the world to turbulent times when it turned upside down—even for the people who stayed home! See how South American gold fueled Spain''s Golden Age, Ivan the Terrible expanded Russia at a terrible cost, a French king and an English king lost their heads (literally), and the United States won independence. Illustrated maps highlight key events and give a bird''s eye view of what was happening when and where—including mind-blowing inventions such as the telegraph, photography, and the car.

Climb into the cabs of the world''s fastest trucks. They may be big, but these machines can really move! Roar off in the three jet engines of the Shockwave—powered to 376 mph (605 km/h)! Ride in the Banks Sidewinder Dodge Dakota, which set a world record at 217 mph (349 km/h)! Go off-roading in the fastest off-road terrain conqueror, the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. Colorful illustrations capture these swift, powerful beasts on the road and off, while interesting text features highlight jet propulsion, turbocharging, and great truck racers past and present.

This is the ultimate photographic guide to the world of rocks and minerals, as well as how to build your own collection. An extensive introduction section describes the impact of factors such as time, weather and water erosion on the development of these substances, and the part played by natural phenomena such as volcanoes and earthquakes. Specimens are grouped according to their chemical composition and characteristics, and all entries include quick-reference identification checklists to aid recognition. A scientific introduction looks at the origins of these materials and their impact on the landscape, with examples of striking natural formations and explanatory diagrams. The amateur geologist is shown how to identify specimens by their appearance, texture, hardness, and density, as well as how to extract samples safely, how to clean and store rocks and minerals, and build and present their own collection. Featuring over 800 images, this book is a classic illustrated encyclopedia and field guide on an endlessly fascinating and richly consuming subject.

At the age of five, Takeshi joins the other youngsters in a samurai''s castle to train as a noble fighter. Join him in action as he fires arrows while riding on horseback and defeats three foes in bare-handed combat. Take on the samurai''s "way of the warrior" lifestyle and it will make you strong—but always remember that honor can be more important than life.

Every single thing and person consists of elements, and this informative series will help young readers understand just how important the elements are and what role they play in the science of chemistry. Enhanced by easy-to-follow diagrams and full-color illustrations, the text explains how elements behave, their individual characteristics and their importance in everyday life. In addition to informative "fact boxes, " each volume also contains "Did You Know" features which explore topics such as why carbon makes soft drinks fizz. A wonderfully balanced combination of color photographs, paintings and drawings enhance the text and assist in learning about each element.

Find out how atoms fit together and how our solar system spins. Take a look at Earth''s biomes and then explore the human body and more with full-color illustrations designed to keep young readers engaged and entertained while they learn.

How Does Your Heart Beat? is a fantastic introduction to the incredible ways that our body keeps us alive. The respiratory, circulatory, and immune systems are explained through hilarious, colorful illustrations and an engaging question-and-answer format, designed to appeal to even the most reluctant readers. Packed with plenty of giggle-worthy gross bits, it''s a fun and accessible young guide to an important subject. Stuff kids want to know, that need an answer... How much blood is in your body? What are germs, and are they all baddies? What are boogers made of? Yuk! Find the answers to these questions and much more! Kids will love the hilarious illustrations. With so many fun facts to uncover, science has never been more fun!

Discusses the origin, discovery, special characteristics, and use of nitrogen in such products as explosives and fertilizers.

People have always needed doctors. But the doctors of the past might not look like the doctors you are used to seeing! Sometimes their healing methods were weird, disgusting, or even dangerous. Doctors in the Middle Ages sniffed patients'' urine to diagnose disease, and barbers might cut off a person''s injured arm or leg. The ancient Chinese fought smallpox by blowing powdered pus up the nose. Many of these old remedies turned out to be dangerous, but others paved the way for modern blood transfusions, vaccines, and anesthetics. If you''re not too squeamish, read this book to learn more about the history of doctors!

"Explores and explains physics concepts--including energy, motion, simple machines, gravity, flight, electricity, and magnetism--and provides experiments to aid in understanding physics"--Provided by publisher.

In Touch with Nature provides exciting introductions to the amazing world of nature, built around hands-on experiments, observations, and projects. The series helps children to find out about the natural world in a way that no amount of reading alone could match.Each book in the series provides a fascinating way into a particular aspect of nature, from mammals to flowering plants. Lively, concise explanatory pages are interwoven with a series of safe, practical activities for children carry out in the home or close by. Specially commissioned photographic sequences and step-by-step instructions how clearly how to perform each activity.

Imagine facing a storm so vast you can only see it all from space, or winds that uproot trees and hurl cars in the air. The unleashed power of extreme storms can flatten homes and drown low-lying land in torrential rain, and they come with a steep cost in dollars—and lives. Learn all about the science behind horrifying hurricanes, terrible typhoons, and catastrophic cyclones. See the damage done by the world''s worst tornadoes. Discover the drone and satellite technology for forecasting and tracking powerful storms and the storm chasers who risk their lives to increase our understanding of these devastating disasters.