Most Popular Books by Ruth Owen

Specially created to support early years teaching, this beautiful new words and pictures book is perfect for children learning to read. As young readers turn the pages, they will have lots of opportunities to: understand similarities and differences between themselves and others, and among families, communities, and traditions; understand feelings; be sensitive to others'' needs; explore behavior and consequences.

We grow bigger and bigger, and every few months we need new shoes and clothes. We grow taller and taller, until one day we are finally tall enough to ride on that rollercoaster. When we were born we couldn''t talk or walk, but now we can read, write, use a computer, and play sports. All day, every day, we are growing and changing. Bones grow, muscles develop and get stronger, and brains develop the ability to learn all they can about the world. In What Happens When I Grow? the processes involved in growing from a baby to an elementary-school child are explored through a child''s everyday life. Fascinating facts are woven into lively, accessible step-by-step explanations, delivering solid science in a way that''s perfectly suited to the book''s Grade 2 readership.

When autumn comes, the plants in Mr. Green and Mo''s community garden produce their seeds and start to die. The leaves on the trees change color and drop to the ground. And as some of the garden''s animals prepare to hibernate or hide away for the winter, there''s still lots to do as there are pumpkins and apples to be harvested. Perfect for studying plant and animal life cycles and for building a love of nature.

Winter has arrived, and Mo thinks the garden has died. But Mr. Green knows that the garden is just resting until spring. Join the friends as they learn how trees save energy by having bare branches in winter. Discover how bulbs and seeds are just waiting underground. And learn the importance of feeding wild birds and creating safe, warm places for animals to spend the colder months.

We get warm and cozy under a quilt and drift off to sleep. As we rest, however, our bodies are still hard at work, processing dinner, repairing damaged skin, and growing bones and muscles. All night, every night, as we sleep and dream, our lungs keep breathing in and out, blood races around our body, our brains are busy organizing thoughts and experiences from the day, and repairs are being made ready for whatever tomorrow brings. In What Happens When I Sleep? the body parts and processes that keep on going all night are explored in detail. Fascinating facts are woven into lively, accessible step-by-step explanations, delivering solid science in a way that''s perfectly suited to the book''s Grade 2 readership.

In this title, join a tiny toad as she embarks on a long journey to lay her eggs in a pond. Along the way, she must avoid inquisitive pet dogs, a hungry snake, and a busy road. The book combines repetitive text with high-frequency and familiar sight words. Unfamiliar vocabulary is supported by detailed photographic images with labels, close photo/text matches, and a picture glossary.

Two tiny lion cubs are practicing their future hunting skills by biting and pouncing on something that’s moving in the grass. The object of their game is—their father’s long tail! The huge father lion lazily rolls in the hot grass, patiently allowing his babies to use his body for climbing and a game of hide-and-seek. But if another male lion or predators, such as a pack of hyenas, comes close, the powerful father lion won’t hesitate to attack and fight to protect his family. Meet a father lion, the lionesses, and their cubs that make up a lion pride. Learn how the family hunts together and rules their grassland territory. And discover the life cycle of a lion cub and the important role that its father plays in protecting and raising the little animal. Filled with fascinating information and beautiful images, this lovely book is a must-have for young children who enjoy books about animals and nonfiction reading.

Did you know that there''s a beetle that spends its days making balls of elephant dung, and then rolling them around? Or that African wild dogs will “serve up” a meal of regurgitated food for a hungry fellow pack member? Or that a male hippopotamus will swirl his tail like a pinwheel to spread his poop far and wide to mark his territory? In this gross fest of animal behavior, readers will be having so much fun reading about the horrible and bizarre that they won''t even realize how much science is splattered, spread over, featured on every page!

In this title, join a tiny mole as she digs tunnels under a garden, hunts for earthworms, meets a mate, and raises her family. The book combines repetitive text with high-frequency and familiar sight words. Unfamiliar vocabulary is supported by detailed photographic images with labels, close photo/text matches, and a picture glossary.

It''s summertime, and the garden is in full bloom. Mo discovers the importance of bees and butterflies as they pollinate flowers around the garden. Tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, and other vegetable plants erupt from the soil, and the garden''s animals are busy raising their young. There is something new to see and learn every day in summer!

In this title, join a tiny harvest mouse as she munches on blackberries, crunches on grasshoppers, weaves a nest from grass in a wheat field, and raises her family. The book combines repetitive text with high-frequency and familiar sight words. Unfamiliar vocabulary is supported by detailed photographic images with labels, close photo/text matches, and a picture glossary.

It''s thick and sticky, splishy and splashy—mud! Dive into the wonderful world of mud and discover what it''s made of and how essential it is to the lives of many animals. After reading, put your knowledge to the test with a simple science project.

They are colorful. They form amazing shapes. They feed on our food. And some are even deadly poisonous. Fungi! Explore the lives and life cycles of nature’s clean-up champions that help keep our world free from dead leaves and other rotting material. After reading, put your knowledge to the test with a simple science project.

In this book, readers will get the chance to learn about their senses as if they were scientists! They will discover how their senses work and learn lots of fascinating facts about their eyes, nose, ears, tongue, and skin. In this age-appropriate introduction to the topic, readers will get to investigate and challenge their own senses!

Specially created to support early years teaching, this beautiful new words and pictures book is perfect for children learning to read. As young readers turn the pages, they will have lots of opportunities to: practice counting 1 to 20; understand more or less; practice adding and subtracting; solve problems including doubling, halving, and sharing.

Readers will wow their friends and family with mind-boggling magic tricks! This book holds all the tips and secrets behind amazing magic tricks from disappearing coins to floating ketchup. No special equipment is needed—only close reading of the instructions and lots of practice. The directions are clear and easily accessible for beginner magicians, while pictures of each step allow readers to visualize the process. This book is perfect for creative illusionists who want to add a bit of magic to their day!

Swoop, snatch, slurp, suck—welcome to the world of bats. Join the natural world''s only flying mammals on their night-time flights as they use echolocation to hunt for insects, feed on fruit or nectar, and even suck blood from other living animals. The exceptional photography in this book will allow young readers to examine these beautiful creatures up close, learn about their physical characteristics and see how they are adapted to obtain food and live in their varied habitats. Bat life cycles will also feature with stunning imagery of moms and pups. The book supports learning across all areas of life sciences curriculum. After reading, put your knowledge to the test with a simple science project.

Inside this book, meet 12 insects that take “home sweet home” to a whole new level. From maggots that wriggle and crawl through blocks of cheese to the tiny bloodsuckers that set up home on our pets, every page is packed with truly unbelievable facts. Perfect for reluctant readers, these books deliver life sciences in the creepiest, yuckiest way possible!

Little Mouse and her babies live in the hedgerow. But one day, something big, noisy, and smelly visits their world and leaves something behind. Sniff? Sniff? As Little Mouse investigates a tempting smell, she finds herself slipping . . . and sliding . . . and falling . . . and stuck! She is trapped in a plastic bottle that was discarded by people in a car. How will she ever escape and make it home to her hungry babies? This important story highlights the dangers of littering and the harm garbage does to wild animals every day.

Specially created to support early years teaching, this beautiful new words and pictures book is perfect for children learning to read. As young readers turn the pages, they will have lots of opportunities to: tell and understand time; explore the importance of physical exercise, healthy eating, basic hygiene, and keeping healthy and safe; understand behavior and consequences; find out about technology in homes and schools; and look at the similarities and differences between everyday places and objects all over the world.

In ancient Rome, highly trained gladiators faced each other in the Colosseum and fought to the death—for the entertainment of thousands of spectators. How did a man, or sometimes a woman, become a gladiator, though? How were gladiators trained? What weapons and equipment did they use? And is it true that some gladiators became famous—just like today''s top sports stars?

We crunch up fruit, cereal, pizza, vegetables, and many other foods. And then, somehow, all that food gives us energy. From chewing to digesting, to going to the bathroom, our teeth, stomach, intestines, and many other body parts work together to turn food into fuel for our bodies. In What Happens When I Eat? the body parts and processes involved in eating and digestion are explored through a child''s everyday actions and experiences. Fascinating facts are woven into lively, accessible step-by-step explanations delivering solid science in a way that''s perfectly suited to the book''s Grade 2 readership.

Millions of miles from Earth, a very unusual scientist is hard at work exploring the freezing, dusty surface of the planet Mars. Curiosity, the robot geologist, is one in a long line of robots that have visited some of our solar system''s most inhospitable places. In this fascinating title, we look at space robots from the past and those at work today. What are their missions? What tasks can they do? And how does it feel to be the human here on Earth who controls a high-tech robot on a faraway planet?

They are colorful. Some are bigger than your head. They go through an amazing metamorphosis. They even pollinate plants. And they are every bit as beautiful as butterflies! It’s time for moths to take center stage and get the attention they deserve. Explore the world of these fascinating furry insects and learn about their lives, their life cycles and why they fly into your porch light at night! After reading, put your knowledge to the test with a simple science project.

Enter the fascinating world of the Samurai and discover how these highly skilled warriors lived and served their masters, the nobility of medieval Japan. Understand the way of the warrior, the Samurai''s code of conduct, find out how a Samurai learned his skills, and see the weapons and armor that Samurai used in battle.

Everyone loves being wowed and tricked by hard-to-spot animals, and this book doesn’t disappoint. Each double-page spread presents a stunning photo of a camouflaged animal hiding in plain sight in its desert habitat—if you can find it!

Two groups of friends. Two tiny seedlings. And one BIG dream of a greener, tree-filled future. This engaging, science-packed picture book follows two very different groups of young friends as they each plant a tree and then share their excitement through a series of pen pal letters. In the USA, five friends plant an acorn that grows into an oak tree seedling. They learn about their tree''s life cycle and how it will become an ecosystem that gives food and a home to birds, insects, and other animals. In Senegal, Africa, five friends plant an acacia tree as part of Africa''s Great Green Wall Project. They learn how their tree will nourish the soil, trap water, shade the hot land, and help their village grow crops. Both groups of friends also discover that their trees will help fight climate change! A narrative story supported with high-interest science fact boxes Perfect for nonfiction reading Supports curriculum learning about plant life cycles Includes a "Plant an Oak Tree" project Beautiful mixed media images using illustration, photos, and collage This uplifting celebration of trees will encourage young readers to not only notice, value, and enjoy these giants of the plant kingdom, but also want to plant a tree themselves.

The North Pole is home to few mammals—it is far too cold for most to survive. Luckily, polar bears have a thick layer of fat and a heavy fur to keep them warm in this climate. In this unforgiving world, the bears dig dens in the snow to survive each winter. Inside, where they stay until spring, the mother bear’s cubs are born. When the weather has warmed up enough for the bears to come outside, the mother takes her cubs along as she hunts for food. Readers will see how the cubs learn to wait by holes in the ice for seals to pop up, or swim through the icy water to find their prey—and eventually learn to live and hunt on their own. Combining colorful photos and clear, simple text, this coming-of-age introduction to polar bear cubs is sure to delight emergent readers.

What plants and animals live in a garden? What do the living things in this habitat need from their environment? And who eats who in a garden ecosystem? In this title, readers will investigate simple food chains and natural habitats, including a garden, forest, tide pool, desert, and even a tree stump micro-habitat.

If a tree is a living thing, does that mean a wooden table is alive? If a cat is alive because it can run and chase a toy, does that mean a robot is a living thing because it can move? In this title packed with fun challenges, readers will consolidate their understanding of living, non-living, and things that used to be alive.

As the sun rises in a backyard, a tiny ant and thousands of her brothers and sisters leave their underground nest. The little insect has a busy day ahead foraging for food and carrying it back home for the ant colony to share. In this title for young nonfiction fans, the carefully leveled text and beautiful full-page photographs tell the story of a 24-hour period in the life of an ant. Discover how ants work as a team to find food and share information about good food sources. Peek into the ant''s underground home that she shares with her mother, the giant queen ant, and thousands of other busy workers. And even though the ant is very, very small, discover how she does essential work in her backyard habitat, such as dispersing seeds and making the soil crumbly, so water and air can reach the roots of trees and other plants. The engaging text is a perfect introduction to insect lives and life cycles and is just right for building an enjoyment of nonfiction reading.

Designer dogs are the latest trend in the pet world. Readers will become experts on goldadors after reading this book that goes into all the essentials on this specialized mix. With colorful photos and interesting facts on the care, upkeep and origins of this unique dog, readers are sure to be engrossed.

In the animal kingdom, it''s essential to have a good means of defense when something bigger than you wants to eat you. In this book, readers will meet a lizard that squirts blood from its eyes at predators. A seabird chick that projectile vomits on an approaching enemy. And a host of animals that use slime, their poop, and other bizarre means of defense to stay safe. Packed with essential life sciences information, this gross fest of all things defense and disgusting will have readers laughing, making ewwwwwwwww noises, but most importantly, turning the pages and reading!

Let’s craft with beads! This book introduces readers to the creative crafts they can make with beads. Projects include bead holiday decorations and a bowl made of multicolored beads. Readers will also learn how to make their very own unique bead jewelry. Each project includes a list of materials needed to complete the project, while step-by-step directions provide clear and helpful guidance. Pictures and illustrations allow readers to visualize each step in the bead project process. All readers need are beads and an imagination to bring these creative crafts to life!

It’s a snorkel. It’s a highly-sensitive tool for finding food underground. It can even show the neighbors who’s boss. The nose! Get up close to some of the weirdest but most hard-working noses in the animal kingdom and discover just how physical adaptations – no matter how funny-looking – can help animals survive in their natural habitats. After reading, put your knowledge to the test with a simple science project.

Earth''s insects are in trouble. That''s one half of this book''s simple but incredibly important message. The book''s other, more hopeful, "call to action" is that everyone can do something to help protect bees, beetles, and thousands of other insects. Without insects, many animals, including birds, amphibians, fish, and reptiles could not survive. Humans would struggle to grow enough food and decomposers would not be at work recycling dead plants and other waste materials. Learn how loss of habitats is affecting insects worldwide Discover how our use of pesticides and other chemicals is destroying insect populations Understand what insects need in order to thrive and increase in numbers Learn what we can we do as consumers and campaigners Discover how to create wild places for insects And see how even a small window box can be a food source and shelter for vital insects such as bees Perfect for young conservationists who want to improve our world and ensure a healthy future for the smallest and most endangered members of the animal kingdom.

Thereu0092s more to making St. Patricku0092s Day crafts than the color green! Of course, this craft book with a St. Patricku0092s Day theme features plenty of green, but readers are also led through making shamrock necklaces and bracelets, leprechaun hats filled with candy gold coins, and a u0093reach the rainbowu0094 marble maze game made from Q-tips! Each project includes detailed step-by-step instructions and lots of opportunities for readers to use their own creativity to make designs that are special and individual.

Plastic pollution is one of the most damaging environmental issues we face today. And no one is more passionate about solving this problem and protecting our world than kids! This new title in the Get Started With STEM series gives young science enthusiasts all the information they need to investigate and do their part to help solve this problem now and for the future. Packed with facts, discussion topics, imaginative ideas for activities, experiments, and investigations, this book will have students eager to use their science skills and knowledge to tackle plastic pollution head on.

Our Earth is just a tiny, tiny, part of a universe that is so vast even numbers such as billions and trillions aren’t big enough to measure it! This fascinating in-depth look at our world''s place in space explores the big bang, the formation of the solar system, and why we experience day and night and different seasons. Readers will even learn how ancient people used the Sun''s movements and temples such as the UK''s Stonehenge to predict the seasons and why the Moon seems to change shape in the night sky. Packed with facts and activities, this book will be a gripping read for all young space fans.

Plastic pollution is one of the most damaging environmental issues we face today. And no one is more passionate about solving this problem and protecting our world than kids! This new title in the Get Started With STEM series gives young science enthusiasts all the information they need to investigate and do their part to help solve this problem now and for the future. Packed with facts, discussion topics, imaginative ideas for activities, experiments, and investigations, this book will have students eager to use their science skills and knowledge to tackle plastic pollution head on.