Most Popular Books by Ruth Owen

Why do racing cyclists crouch low over their handlebars to go faster? Why do you fall back down when you bounce on a trampoline? And why does the refrigerator door close as if it''s being pulled by something invisible? The answer is forces. Gravity, friction, gears, pulleys, levers, and magnets are all explored in this title. Readers will learn how trainee astronauts experience "zero gravity" on the aircraft known as the "vomit comet," how air resistance protected the Curiosity rover during its landing on Mars, why magnets are used at recycling plants, and how trains powered by magnets may one day travel at thousands of miles per hour!

These cat-sized bundles of fur with big, bushy tails are as adorable as they are smelly! Skunk families make their dens in hollow logs, in holes they’ve dug underground, or sometimes they just decide to live under houses or in sheds. They tend to live in forested areas but also inhabit towns and cities throughout North America. And if anyone has a problem with that, they get a quick spray of skunk juice! Through gorgeous pictures and simple text, readers will see how the cute little kits learn about hunting and how to live on their own in this coming-of-age introduction to baby skunks.

When an abandoned 20-story building needs to be safely demolished and reduced to 80,000 tons of rubble, who do you call? Master blasters! These are the engineers who use precisely placed explosives to blast new subway tunnels under cities and demolish skyscrapers, towers, and bridges. Readers will discover how explosives engineers use science, math, and technology to plan and execute intricate sequences of explosions in demolition and construction projects. Told in a lively narrative style, this book includes firsthand accounts of the daily work of master blasters, entertaining anecdotes, cool facts, and behind-the-scenes images. Readers will also get the chance to try out fun math and engineering projects.

Flowers are more than just beautiful, fragrant objects for our enjoyment. Pink petals, green stems, dark unfurling leaves: though we have seen them countless times, do we truly know what they are there for? In this title, readers will learn in detail the many parts of a plant.

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.

High above the rest of the world, many animals make their homes in Earth’s mountains, content in a habitat that would challenge many others. In this book, readers will learn more about creatures such as mountain goats, leopards, and yaks through exciting facts and full-color photos—and they’ll also learn how to create their own paper replicas of these amazing creatures. Clear instructions and illustrations will show young crafters how to use the art of origami to make their own mountain animals.

Describes how galaxies are formed and their different types, with details on the Milky Way and other well-known galaxies which have been seen through the Hubble Telescope.

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?

Would you like your own mighty elephant sitting on your desk? Maybe if it’s a paper elephant! In this book, readers will learn to turn sheets of paper into grassland animals such as giraffes, zebras—and, yes, elephants! Each origami project features simple instructions and clear illustrations, as well as photos of the real animals to intrigue those interested in these magnificent creatures.

What’s under the sea? A lot of fascinating animals! Readers of this book will learn how to fold origami versions of many of these creatures--including whales, crabs, and fish--while also learning facts about the animals and their lives in the ocean. Illustrations will guide them on each step, and color photographs of the real animals in their natural ocean habitat help readers make meaningful connections with the text.

This vibrant, colorful science book brings STEM to life and gets students thinking and working like scientists as they investigate how animals, plants, and microbes make their homes in tiny microhabitats. The book will get readers asking and answering questions, making observations, collecting, recording, and analyzing data, performing tests, using scientific language and equipment, and having fun with experiments and science activities. Learn about the fungi, insects, and other minibeasts that make a compost heap their home. See the microscopic animals that inhabit moss and muddy puddles. Learn how the body of a dead whale becomes a home and food for animals at the bottom of the ocean. And discover some of the microhabitats on and inside the human body. Throughout readers will explore how living things rely on their microhabitat for survival. The book is supported with free, downloadable worksheets, activities, and resources for teachers. Packed with facts and incredible close-up photographs, this title is perfect for non-fiction reading and gives students and teachers a fresh and exciting approach to the topic of habitats.

Practical jokes and pranks can be fun to plan and even more fun to carry out! Readers are introduced to safe and funny tricks and jokes that they can use on family and friends in this creative DIY guide. As they explore each set of step-by-step instructions, they master another round of hilarious hijinks while also practicing independent reading and following directions. Safety tips and materials lists help ensure that each prank happens safely and successfully, and colorful photographs make this reading experience even more enjoyable.

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.

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.

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.

Imagine a giant flying creature as big as a plane. It''s time to meet the enormous flying reptiles that swooped through the skies during the time of the dinosaurs. Each title in this new series digs deep into one fascinating area of the Dinosphere. The expertly crafted text with strong visual cues to support new vocabulary will engage early readers as they build their reading confidence. This 24-page book features controlled text with age-appropriate vocabulary and simple, clear sentences. A fresh design and fantastic artwork closely align with the descriptive text that will captivate young readers.

Plants, animals, humans—all living things need water to survive. But what is this essential substance made of and why is it able to change from a liquid to a solid to a gas and back again? In this book, young students will carry out a series of fun and innovative experiments to learn all about water. What are water molecules and how do they behave? Why does water seem to disappear when it is warmed by sunshine? Why does water suddenly appear from nowhere on the sides of a cold soda can? How do rain and snow get up into the sky? And how does water travel through the parts of a plant and even through the cells in your body? Budding young scientists will love messing with water as they learn all about liquids, solids, and gases, evaporation and condensation, and the water cycle. They will ask questions, make observations, gather evidence, test theories, and record their conclusions. Students will also use scientific equipment and build and practice their science vocabulary.

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.

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.