Most Popular Books by Steve Tomecek

A whimsically illustrated survey of the earth's rocks and minerals explores some of the many ways they have been transformed into usable materials from talcum powder to silver jewelry, in a reference complemented by a bonus activity suggestion.

A collection of experiments about static cling and magnetism, using such items as a balloon, newspaper, and steel nail.

Where do diamonds come from? What makes gems sparkle? How did Mount Everest and the Grand Canyon form? Find answers to these questions and many more in this rockin' reference book. Welcome to the amazing world of rocks and minerals! Let's start at the very beginning, with an introduction to the origin of our rocky planet, then move on to explore the world of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. You'll discover how they form, what makes them unique, and most importantly, how to identify them in your own backyard. Complete with the origin and description of some of the most important rock-forming minerals, readers will discover how some of the most beautiful and precious stones on the planet are created by the Earth itself. Each chapter includes dozens of profiles of amazing rocks and minerals, fun facts, sidebars, photo galleries, and more. At the end of the book readers will get to meet a real geologist and learn just what it's like to dig in the dirt for a living. Thematic spreads cover topics such as birthstones, cool crystals, digging for diamonds, and more. And, of course, amazing photography and colorful graphics add visual awe to the lively text. Fans of other National Geographic Kids Ultimate "pedias" in the same series--Dinopedia, Bugopedia, Reptileopedia, Oceanpedia, Predatorpedia, and Weatherpedia--will want to add Ultimate Rockopedia to their must-have list.

Learn about the uses of man-made materials in everyday life.

Food explores some of the scientific principles involved in the production, preparation, and preservation of food. Discover why food is a form of stored solar energy and how everything you eat can really be traced back to the sun. Learn how cooking food involves some rather complex chemical reactions and how even something as simple as making ice cream depends on the laws of physics. Hands-on activities help bring the science of food to life, with topics ranging from why food tastes the way it does to how acids and bases produce chemical changes in food as you make cheese and marinate meat.

Describes the force of electromagnetism and how it works.

Is it true that heat waves can make roads break apart? Yes! When it's extra hot, the materials that roads are made of will swell and start to crack. Really high temperatures can even melt the pavement.

Examines some of the scientific principles involved in sculpture, painting, photography, and architecture, and provides scientific activities and experiments that demonstrate those principles.

Offers information about sapphires, rubies, fossils, granite, quartz, and sandstone. This book gives an introduction to geology, where kids will learn how rocks form, what kinds of rocks there are in the world, how to find different kinds of rocks, and how to identify them.

Targeted to rock-crazy kids, this bold book is more energetic, more visually exciting, and more fun than enything else on the market--and with more information, too! -- publisher.