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Inflatable stargazers by Adams, William D
The reflectors used in the world's largest telescopes are big and heavy. Instead of glass and metal, could they be made of reflective plastic? How big could a space telescope be if you could blow up the main lens like a balloon? Learn how astronomer Chris Walker is designing the next generation of telescopes with inflatable technology. The books in the Out of This World series feature projects that have won grants from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program (NIAC). The program provides funding to teams working to develop bold new advances in space technology.
Martian Fungoid Space Base by William D Adams
Housing astronauts on the moon and Mars is a huge challenge for future space exploration. Learn how biologist Lynn Rothschild plans to use fungi as a construction technology to build bases for astronauts. Mush-rooms, anyone? The books in the Out of This World series feature projects that have won grants from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program (NIAC). The program provides funding to teams working to develop bold new advances in space technology.
Recognizing Words by Jenna Neely; Ruth Bennett (Illustrator)
There's trouble at the library! A vandal has removed words from the books and scattered them about. To repair the damage-and catch the culprit-the librarian will have to enlist the assistance of the famous word detective William Word Sleuth. Readers will learn how to recognize unfamiliar words using picture clues, definitions, common letter combinations, and more!
Bioinspired Venus Flier by William D Adams
Venus's surface is a place of scorching heat and crushing pressure. But, in the clouds, conditions are a little less intense. Learn how engineer Javid Bayandor plans to build a flying probe-inspired by giant manta ray-explore the planet's atmosphere. The books in the Out of This World series feature projects that have won grants from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program (NIAC). The program provides funding to teams working to develop bold new advances in space technology.
Quantum Dot Solar Sail by William D Adams
Neptune, the last planet in our solar system, has barely been studied. But the planet and its giant moon Triton hold many secrets-Triton could even harbor life! Learn how engineer Mahmooda Sultana plans to send a probe to Neptune in a fraction of the time-and at a fraction of the cost-of traditional probes by sailing on sunshine. The books in the Out of This World series feature projects that have won grants from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program (NIAC). The program provides funding to teams working to develop bold new advances in space technology.
Consonants and Vowels by Jeff de la Rosa; Ruth Bennett (Illustrator)
The mysterious letter Y visits the Kingdom of Consonants to learn about this strange place. But, when Y escapes to the Land of Vowels with a royal prisoner, the consonant king declares war. Y must work with both consonants and vowels to bring peace between the two. Readers will learn common consonant sounds, various types of consonants, long and short vowels, and more!
Nouns, Pronouns, and Verbs by Fred Maxon; Ruth Bennett (Illustrator)
Winston Wordy, the mysterious owner of Wordy's Sentence Factory, invites a group of children to visit his magical facility. But, this is more than just a tour of his amazing collection of nouns and verbs. Willy is preparing to retire, and he will choose one of the visitors to inherit the business. Readers will learn how to identify common and proper nouns, recognize verbs, use pronouns correctly, and more!
Writing Skills by Jenna Neely; Ruth Bennett (Illustrator)
Junior explorer Mario Vespi is setting off on a tour into uncharted waters. But how will he record and communicate the wonders he sees? Mario must use his writing skills to help make sense of his adventures. Readers will learn various skills and tips to help them write about their own surroundings!
Sun-Powered Asteroid Miners by William D Adams
The benefits of technology require large amounts of resources to develop and spread. But modern living is already taxing Earth's resources and the environment. To continue to improve human life on Earth, we may have to look to space for the resources we need. Learn how inventor Joel Sercel plans to kick-start this process, harnessing light from the sun to mine asteroids for fuel and other resources. The books in the Out of This World series feature projects that have won grants from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program (NIAC). The program provides funding to teams working to develop bold new advances in space technology.
Giant Lunar Telescope by William D Adams
Radio telescopes can help astronomers learn the secrets of the universe's birth. But, such telescopes must be huge, and radio signals from Earth and the sun interfere with their readings. Learn how engineer Saptarshi Bandyopadhyay plans to solve these problems and more by building a huge radio telescope in a crater on the moon. The books in the Out of This World series feature projects that have won grants from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program (NIAC). The program provides funding to teams working to develop bold new advances in space technology.
Sentences and Their Parts by Jeff de la Rosa; Ruth Bennett (Illustrator)
When you're hungry, you need a sandwich. When you want to communicate, you need a sentence. Period and his apprentice Comma run a sentence delivery and repair service. Call them if you get in trouble. They can put together a sentence to get you out of any jam. Readers will learn about subjects and predicates, various types of sentences, fragments and run-ons, and more!
Building Vocabulary by Jenna Neely; Ruth Bennett (Illustrator)
At Hardword's Magic Academy, the students learn how to use words to perform amazing tricks. But, you have to be careful what you say! Words can have multiple meanings, and new words can be confusing, leading to unexpected adventures. Readers will expand their vocabulary by mastering synonyms and antonyms, metaphor and simile, confusing words, and more!
Whirligigs by Carole Boston Weatherford; Edwin Fotheringham (Illustrator)
Take a journey through the creative process that led folk artist Vollis Simpson to create his wonderful and whimsical wind-powered whirligigs and more in this STEAM/STEM picture book. Vollis Simpson was a man with a curious mind-always eager to know how things worked and how to fix them. Growing up on a farm in North Carolina, he loved to tinker with machines. And when he served in the Army Air Corps during WWII, Vollis kept right on tinkering. His ingenuity allowed him to build things no one would have thought to create from scraps-a washing machine out of airplane parts and a motorcycle out of a bike. After the war, his passion for metal creations picked up speed-turning into a whirlwind of windmills as far as the eye could see. Luckily, Vollis's fanciful and colorful windmills have been preserved at a park in Wilson, NC, where visitors can behold his magnificent and towering creations forever whizzing in the air.
Exoplanet-Spying Supertelescope by William D Adams
What if we could take a picture of a planet orbiting a distant star light-years away? What would we find there? Learn how Nobel Prize-winning physicist John Mather is planning to pair a giant observatory on Earth with a huge unfolding satellite to take pictures our distant neighbors. The books in the Out of This World series feature projects that have won grants from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program (NIAC). The program provides funding to teams working to develop bold new advances in space technology.
Made-to-order space suits by Adams, William D
Modern space suits are bulky, uncomfortable, and difficult to repair. If human beings are going to explore and colonize the moon and Mars, they will need something better to wear. Learn how engineer Bonnie Dunbar is using her experience to develop the manufacturing techniques to clothe the next generation of astronauts! The books in the Out of This World series feature projects that have won grants from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program (NIAC). The program provides funding to teams working to develop bold new advances in space technology
Reading Skills by Lauren Kelliher; Ruth Bennett (Illustrator)
Some kids collect and train battling monsters, but 10-year-old Clay collects Reading Skills. Each of these tiny creatures has a different ability that can be used to battle challenging texts. If Clay can master them all, she just might become a reading champion. Readers will learn to identify topic sentences and main characters, answer critical questions about a text, and more!
Finding Word Meanings by Jenna Neely; Ruth Bennett (Illustrator)
The famous word detective William Word Sleuth sets out to solve the kidnapping of a special victim-his own father. He and his dog Scout will have to use every tool at their disposal to decipher the clues and save the day. Readers will learn how to find word meanings by analyzing context, prefixes and suffixes, homonyms and homophones, and more!
Priceless Facts about Money by Mellody Hobson; Caitlin Stevens (Illustrator)
One of #OprahsFavoriteThings of 2024! As Oprah says on OprahDaily.com, "Financial expert Mellody Hobson wrote this children's book to encourage financial literacy, but I bet, like me, many adults will learn fun facts about money--such as where the word greenbacks came from." An instant New York Times bestseller! Mellody Hobson, barrier-breaking pioneer in the world of finance, demystifies money for kids with a look at some wild and weird facts about what makes the world go round. What is the meaning of all those symbols on US bills (and why are they so hard to counterfeit)? What's with people calling money "bacon" or "cheddar" or "smackeroonies"? With savvy and wit, financial expert Mellody Hobson sheds a friendly light on a daunting subject, from the meteorites that created the first mineral deposits to the ancient Maya who used chocolate as currency to the beginnings of the banking system itself. Readers learn about bartering, profit and loss, the origins of credit, ATMs, and even fun facts about money around the world. In her first children's book, Mellody Hobson brings excitement to the realm of financial literacy and gives kids the tools they need to navigate money now and in the future. Featuring energetic artwork by debut illustrator Caitlin Stevens, amusing skits starring a cat and bunny who converse in money idioms, and inserts depicting the author and her business partner as kids just learning how money works, Priceless Facts about Money is an inviting, entertaining, and richly educational resource for every child.