Therese Shea

Examines the different kinds of bears, their physical characteristics, habitats, babies, and behavior.

The modern period of history is often considered to have begun with the Renaissance, one of the rare periods of genius in the world's history. This volume traces the Renaissance from its beginnings in Italy in the fourteenth century to its spread across the rest of Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Along with the rediscovery of ancient Greek and Roman writing, the Renaissance represented a new age in the fields of science, literature,...

The crustacean subphylum can be broken down into decapods, amphipods, copepods, and other types. This title offers readers from grades one through four comparisons between the needs and roles of different crustaceans, which will allow readers to understand the subphylum's importance. Readers will recognize and expand their knowledge about familiar species like the lobster and the shrimp, while being introduced to the likes of the wood louse and zooplankton....

Given the vastness of the universe, it is not difficult to imagine the possibility of life-even intelligent life-beyond Earth. Yet whether any extraterrestrial beings have ever made contact with us and if any evidence of this contact exists, remains widely debated. Evaluating tales of alien encounters and UFO sightings with a critical eye, this absorbing volume considers the possibility of extraterrestrial life by carefully separating scientific fact...

Anthropologists, scientists who study humans and their ways of life, are continually finding and interpreting artifacts left by our earliest ancestors. They have helped us understand our origins as well as the intriguing cultures that developed as humans spread across Earth. This volume is a concise introduction to this diverse and fascinating field. Readers will learn of the various branches of anthropology, including archaeology and biological anthropology,...

Water that lurks beneath the Earth's surface is usually far easier to ignore than the water that covers it-until that water bursts forth above ground as geysers and hot springs. This engaging volume explains to young readers where this water comes from and its relationship to volcanic activity underground. They will also learn where on Earth these spectacular eruptions are found, how geothermal energy can be harnessed for our use, and much more. Striking...

Planes, trains, and automobiles-these are just some of the many achievements of mechanical engineering. This volume will show readers that they do not have to know complex equations to appreciate the impact the field has had on the world. Accessible text introduces young readers to the machines and engines that power the devices, vehicles, and appliances they encounter on a daily basis. Boxes explain important terms and concepts of mechanics and encourage...

Young readers are fascinated by how the things around them are constructed. This volume will answer many of the questions they have, by first addressing the job of civil engineers and then explaining how some of the world's greatest engineering marvels were built. Students will learn how tunnels such as the English Channel Tunnel are built under water; how dams like the Hoover Dam are built and the purpose they serve a community; and why the Panama...

The crustacean subphylum can be broken down into decapods, amphipods, copepods, and other types. This title offers readers from grades one through four comparisons between the needs and roles of different crustaceans, which will allow readers to understand the subphylum's importance. Readers will recognize and expand their knowledge about familiar species like the lobster and the shrimp, while being introduced to the likes of the wood louse and zooplankton....

The Wicked Witch of the West's cackling threat, "I'll get you, my pretty. . ." from the Wizard of Oz might be as memorable and instantly recognizable as a witch's iconic pointy-hatted crone image. This volume delves into the stereotypical image of witches and their newts, caldrons, and headwear and investigates their historical origins. Historical fact and imaginative fiction are carefully sorted through, with reference to literature, films, and other...