Best Selling Books by Sally M Walker

YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Finalist One of the Best Books of the Year: Chicago Public Library, School Library Journal, Science Books & Films Bright white teeth. Straight leg bones. Awkwardly contorted arm bones. On a hot summer day in 2005, Dr. Douglas Owsley of the Smithsonian Institution peered into an excavated grave, carefully examining the fragile skeleton that had been buried there for four hundred years. "He was about fifteen years old when he died. And he was European," Owsley concluded. But how did he know? Just as forensic scientists use their knowledge of human remains to help solve crimes, they use similar skills to solve the mysteries of the long-ago past. Join author Sally M. Walker as she works alongside the scientists investigating colonial-era graves near Jamestown, Virginia, as well as other sites in Maryland. As you follow their investigations, she'll introduce you to what scientists believe are the lives of a teenage boy, a ship's captain, an indentured servant, a colonial official and his family, and an enslaved African girl. All are reaching beyond the grave to tell us their stories, which are written in bone.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 45) and index.

Rocks can be made of many different minerals. By looking at rocks closely, we can tell where they were formed and what conditions they were created in. How do we know these things? And how do we tell different types of rocks apart? Learn about ways to research rocks and what they can teach us about our world.

Audisee® eBooks with Audio combine professional narration and text highlighting for an engaging read aloud experience! The sun, lightbulbs, and flickering fires all bring light to our world. But have you ever watched light rays moving? Or seen how light rays reflect off objects? Now you can! Explore light with the fun experiments you'll find in this book. As part of the Searchlight BooksTM collection, this series sheds light on a key science question―How Does Energy Work? Hands-on experiments, interesting photos, and useful diagrams will help you find the answer!

Did witches always ride brooms? No! In fact, long, long ago, witches crept about on tiptoe. On Halloween, they would scare children and cast spells . . . but always from the ground. No witch ever thought of flying—no witch until Druscilla. Druscilla was an old witch with the loudest, creakiest knees anyone had ever heard. But she was determined not to let anything spoil her element of surprise. One Halloween, after many failed attempts at sneaking up on unsuspecting villagers, Druscilla made a discovery that changed the course of witch history.

Solids, liquids, and gases are the three states of matter. But have you ever made matter change from one state to another? Or seen how even invisible matter takes up space? Now you can! Explore matter with the fun experiments you'll find in this book. As part of the Searchlight BooksTM collection, this series sheds light on a key science question―How Does Energy Work? Hands-on experiments, interesting photos, and useful diagrams will help you find the answer!

Describes the life and accomplishments of baseball star Jackie Robinson, who became the first African American in twentieth-century major-league baseball.

Electricity powers lights, computers, and television sets. But have you seen how electricity can make objects stick together? Or make other objects pull apart? Now you can! Explore electricity with the fun experiments you'll find in this book. As part of the Searchlight BooksTM collection, this series sheds light on a key science question―How Does Energy Work? Hands-on experiments, interesting photos, and useful diagrams will help you find the answer!

Minerals are fascinating resources that have a variety of uses. A diamond is a mineral that is sought after for its beauty. Salt is a useful mineral that adds flavor. But do you know what minerals are made of? Or how to identify a mineral? Explore the amazing world of minerals in this book.

In this Early Bird title, readers learn about the physical characteristics, habitat, and behavior of the mosquito.

Meet an unusual family with some very special children: Alan, Ellen, Iris, Otto, and Ursula. Sometimes they're visited by their very special aunt, Cyndy. As each child is born, the family becomes more complete—and each additional Vowel also makes the text easier to read! Because if you can imagine life without the Vowels, tlkng wld b vr hrd. Rdng wld b pzzlng. Are you ready to play the Vowel game?

Soil can be found almost everywhere on Earth. Sand is a soft soil that is found in deserts. Loam is soil that is great for growing plants. But how are these types of soils different? And how are they made? Explore the amazing world of soil in this book.

Examines the coelacanth, a type of fish that scientists thought had become extinct during the time of dinosaurs, until a live one was discovered in 1938.

Explains the main concepts of sound and presents easy-to-do experiments to further the reader's understanding.

Describes the behavior, habitat, and life cycle of dolphins.