Tornadoes can be fierce, destructive, and deadly. They strike suddenly where warm and cold air collide. Different instruments, as simple as balloons or as technical as electronic robots, have been used to study their path. Many storm chasers are scientists, pilots, and photographers who want to learn more about the characteristics of tornadoes. Their goal is to learn enough about tornadoes so they can predict their path, and give people the time to get to safety.

Reviewed by: sc

Date read: 4/13/2009

ISBN-10: 0448416247

ISBN-13: 9780448416243

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Did you know that people have wanted to fly every since they first noticed birds in the sky? As early as 1487, Leonardo DaVinci designed a flying machine on paper, although it was never tried out. The first flying machines were gliders, but many of these crashed. The Wright brothers were the first to build an airplane, which they based on their knowledge of how bicycles worked. Since then, many other flying machines have been built, including helicopters strong enough to lift a house. This book includes many surprising facts about the people who came before, and directly after, the Wright brothers. Some flying machines have never been seen again after their first attempts. The entire history of flying is here, from Leonardo to space flight, written in the form of a chapter book. This book is part of the Usborne Young Reading series.

Reviewed by: sc

Date read: 4/14/2009

ISBN-10: 0794507050

ISBN-13: 9780794507053

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Get ready for an amazing journey through time that explores familiar events, as well as the unusual in a most interesting and engaging way. History comes alive with the Greeks and the Romans, on a crusade, or in battle with Napoleon. You also travel all over the world and experience what it was like then and there. A good read and the first book to receive the Newbery Award in 1922. The book was updated by the author's son, Gerard Willem van Loon, taking the story from 'The United States Comes of Age' through 'A Turbulent Peace'. An additional revision continues the story through 'The Earth as a Global Village.' The book concludes with an animated chronology in graphic novel fashion.

Awards won: John Newbery Medal

Reviewed by: adf

Date read: 6/23/2010

ISBN-10: 0871401711

ISBN-13: 9780871401717

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How do snow crystals form? Are there ever two snow crystals exactly alike? These questions and others are answered in this simple book about how snow crystals form. It also includes amazing photographs of snow crystals throughout the book. This is a great book to read with a nice hot cup of cocoa near a window on a snowy day.

Similar books: Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin

Awards nominated: 2013 Bluestem Nominee

Reviewed by: mec

Date read: 2/1/2010

ISBN-10: 0811868664

ISBN-13: 9780811868662

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Commenter: Ellen, grade 55

Have you ever wondered about the history of things like who invented the toilet? If so, this book is for you. It tells the stories behind some inventions that we use everyday. There is a quite humorous picture of a chamber pot being emptied out the window onto an unfortunate man! Did you know that Alexander Graham Bell taught deaf people to speak? The chapter on telephones discusses this, and other interesting facts about the inventor of the telephone, and how he thought up the whole concept of the telephone. Other inventions, such as frozen food, and the removable razor blade, are also discussed. This book is part of the Usborne Young Reading series.

Reviewed by: sc

Date read: 4/14/2009

ISBN-10: 079450888X

ISBN-13: 9780794508883

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