Most Popular Books by Ruth Owen

A powerful telescope has discovered a giant object speeding through our solar system. Is it an asteroid? Will its orbit bring it close to Earth? Is there a chance it could one day collide with our planet? It's time for a team of asteroid hunters to go into action and track the object as it hurtles through space! Get to Work with Science and Technology is a fascinating new series that introduces readers to the real-life applications of STEM subjects. In Asteroid Hunters, readers will meet the scientists who use high-powered telescopes and super computers to watch for dangers from space. Told in a lively narrative style, this book includes firsthand accounts of life as an asteroid hunter, dramatic anecdotes, behind-the-scenes photos, and the coolest facts about asteroids and comets. Readers will also get the chance to try out their space scientist skills with activities that are perfect for science fair projects.

A newborn orangutan is seriously ill with a mysterious stomach ailment. An alligator with an agonizing toothache needs an urgent operation. And a chubby tiger must be put on a diet. It's all in a day's work for a zoo vet! Get to Work with Science and Technology is a fascinating new series that introduces readers to the real-life applications of STEM subjects. Every day, vets are faced with tricky problems to solve. In The Wild World of a Zoo Vet, readers will discover how vets use science and high-tech equipment to solve problems, save lives, and care for wild animals big and small. Told in a lively narrative style, this book includes firsthand accounts of everyday life as a zoo vet, dramatic and funny anecdotes, and behind-the-scenes photos. Readers will also get the chance to try out their zoo vet skills with activities that are perfect for science fair projects.

When you blow the fluttering fluff off a dandelion, what is the result? From acorns to pine cones, milk weed to walnuts, plants have a multitude of ways of spreading their seeds and ensuring more plants of their kind grow and multiply. Readers will delve into this vital science topic with zeal as they learn not only the ways plants spread their seeds, but how the seeds themselves are created.

Overlooking the River Nile and guarding the Giza pyramids is one of the world’s oldest and largest statues—the Sphinx. Carved from the bedrock beneath the desert, the half-lion, half-human creature has watched over the desert for thousands of years. But who built the giant statue, and why? After centuries of exploration and investigation, which of the Sphinx’s secrets have been uncovered and which still remain a riddle?

Our solar system’s largest planet is also one of many mysteries, including its Great Red Spot, an enormous, perpetual storm. Stunning illustrations help to introduce young readers to this fascinating planet. Supplemented with a websites and a list of books for further reading.

In this book, readers will explore a pond habitat and discover how pond animals and plants form an ecosystem and rely on each other for survival. This title cleverly takes young readers on a mini safari through a pond habitat making connections between the living things that call it home. For example: “As a muskrat feeds on cattails, a mother duck uses these plants as a safe place to hide her eggs. As newly-hatched frog tadpoles nibble on algae, dragonfly nymphs go hunting for tadpoles. And discover how microscopic zooplankton are a pond’s clean-up crew.” • Packed with curriculum science information • See how pond animals make their homes and what they eat • Learn about the life cycles of frogs and dragonflies • Discover how water plants are food and shelter for pond animals • Controlled vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure • Beautiful, labeled photographs throughout • Close photo/text match • Includes a pond food web diagram Filled with facts about the natural world, this title is perfect for students studying habitats, animal and plant life cycles, and ecosystems.

Could life-forms from other parts of the universe really travel all the way to Earth? If alien sightings are just fictional stories, why have so many people provided such similar accounts of encounters with extraterrestrials and their spacecraft? What would it be like to witness an alien or UFO from another world, and how can you tell if the object speeding across the sky has been sent by an advanced civilization to study—or even invade—our planet? In Aliens and Other Visitors, children will read historical stories and modern-day accounts of alien encounters. Kids will get all the information they need to help them spot possible UFOs. Children will also investigate the truth behind alien stories, exploring the fears and superstitions of different cultures and looking at the scientific facts that might explain the seemingly unexplainable. If you love a scary story that sounds like it’s straight out of science fiction but also want to investigate the truth behind these myths, this is the book for you!

A mother sea otter gives birth to her pup in the ocean. Then, as she floats on her back on the water’s surface, she lifts the little pup up from the water so it can feed and sleep while snuggled into her warm, furry chest. So begins the life of this marine mammal. In Sea Otter Pups, children will read how this little water baby receives its mother’s undivided attention until it has learned the swimming, diving, and hunting skills it needs to leave mom and go off to begin its adult life. The colorful interior spreads and gorgeous photos of sea otter pups are sure to delight emergent readers.

Can you really grow a carrot cake? Today, many children do not know where the foods they eat come from. This book takes kids step-by-step through all the stages needed to go from a packet of seeds to a crop of carrots and finally, a delicious carrot cake.

Imagine you are inside a dark closet. Everything around you looks black. You can't even see your own hands in front of your face. Why? Your hands are still there, but something important is missing—light! This in-depth look at light includes understanding light sources, incredible facts about our Sun, how light reflects off objects around us, and how our eyes use light to allow us to see. It also features topics such as shadows, making rainbows, and bioluminescence in the animal kingdom. This book is packed with activities including making shadow artworks, testing your own eyes' capabilities, and even designing a reflective safety jacket for a dog's night-time walk.

Everyone knows that birds have feathers, but why so many different colors and shapes? From feathers for flying, to feathers for swimming, feathers for camouflage, to feathers for attracting a mate, this book will give readers a fascinating insight into the lives of birds and their physical adaptations. Topics include how a chick's feathers change from fluffy down to its adult flight feathers, how the bright red and yellow feathers of a macaw can actually help it stay hidden among green rain forest trees, and how feathers help keep penguins warm in the coldest place on Earth. After reading, put your knowledge to the test with a simple science project.

Longer than a school bus and weighing more than 22 elephants, Megalodon was a truly enormous and powerful prehistoric predator. This ancient ancestor of today's most feared ocean predator, the shark, would have hunted whales and been able to snap up a great white shark as a snack! In this book, readers get to dive into the world of a prehistoric ocean giant and find out how scientists have used fossils and studies of modern-day sharks to look back millions of years and piece together the story of Megalodon.

How does an acorn become a mighty oak tree? What does a tiny sunflower seed need to grow into a tall yellow flower? In this title, readers will investigate how plants grow and how they disperse their seeds. They'll also discover that many of the foods we eat are seeds!

"In the middle of the big city, there was a tired, ugly place that made Mr. Green feel very sad." So begins this uplifting and charming story of the magic that can happen when young people, older people, and plants come together. Mo has lost his father. But as he helps his neighbor Mr. Green create a beautiful garden in an abandoned, forlorn space in the city, a smiley feeling grows inside Mo and he learns that a garden can be a very good place to remember people we've lost. As the two friends grow their garden, readers will also discover: • How being in nature is good for our mental health • How intergenerational friendships are important • The importance of rebuilding ecosystems and making places for wildlife • How plants grow, including vegetables • The importance of planting trees • How soil is a living thing that needs to be nurtured The story is told with beautiful artwork created from collage and pencil drawings.

St. Patrick's Day is usually known as a fun holiday of parades, music, and people dressed in green from head to toe. Readers may wonder about the images associated with St. Patrick's Day, though. They may question what a leprechaun is and wonder why a shamrock has come to symbolize the Irish people. In this engaging activity book, they'll learn the answers to these queries and more, while using the exquisite art of origami to create the most popular symbols of St. Patrick's Day. Colorful photos, labeled illustrations, and easy-to-follow steps guide budding origami artists through each paper-folding activity.

Stories in the news about natural disasters and climate change can be scary. That's why it's so important for kids to be able to discuss this topic, that's affecting us all, and understand the facts—and just the facts! Packed with science, this book's chatty, engaging style will explain to readers exactly what's happening, why it's happening, and what we can all do to help protect our planet for the future. Understand the science behind terms such as global warming, greenhouse gases, and renewable energy. Let's love our whole planet and look at what people worldwide can do to help protect the place where we ALL live. Discover the ways in which scientists, conservationists, and kids just like you are working hard to understand how our planet is changing and what can be done to protect wildlife and ecosystems. The antidote to climate change anxiety is understanding what's going on (without the drama and fear) and being empowered to take daily positive actions to help care for our world.

What�s furry, gives birth to live babies, and feeds them milk? A mammal, of course! Readers will be surprised at how many different animals fall into this classification. They�ll love making elephants, dolphins, raccoons and other adorable creatures in this inspiring book. Step-by-step instructions with visuals for each fold make origami accessible and fun. As they craft, readers will learn fascinating facts about each mammal. This peaceful art form helps readers retain information and gets them excited about learning. Fun and informative, this unique mix of origami projects and important life science topics is a must-have for any library.

Fall brings fun holidays, including the thanks-filled holiday of Thanksgiving. Readers can thank their friends with handmade origami turkeys, pumpkins, and more. Step-by-step instructions help readers easily create a multitude of iconic symbols their friends and family will love.

From taking a close-up look at the parts of an eye, to learning how our eyes work as a team with our brain, My Amazing Sense of Sight explores everything to do with how we see. Why do we see the world in color? Why do some people wear glasses? These questions and many more will be answered in this lively, fact-packed new book for young readers.

For a colony of green weaver ants, building nests is a family affair. Even the baby ants, or larvae, have work to do! These ants do not live underground. They make their home sweet amazing home in a tree. Working as a team, the colony stitches together leaves. But what do they use as thread? The silk that's produced by the colony's larvae. Meet a green weaver ant colony, its queen, and the 500,000 busy workers. Learn how the ants move from place to place foraging for food and build new homes wherever they settle. And marvel at their leafy nests that look just like a patchwork quilt! Readers will be astounded by these clever animal builders and will love the beautiful, close-up photos that show these tiny insects at work.