New Releases by Don Nardo

Amazing facts about everyday life in ancient Greece.

Every people and religion in human history has produced its own stories and legends about how the universe, world, and/or human race came to be. This book explores the fascinating creation myths of the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Babylonians, Aztecs, Hindus, and Chinese.

"Every four years, the world celebrates one of the most exciting contributions of the Ancient Greeks: the Olympic Games. That, of course, is not all this great civilization left behind. From theater to democracy, discover how the Greeks'' ancient inventions and philosophies evolved into objects and ideas we know and treasure today"--

We celebrate the Ancient Romans for contributions they made to modern engineering and architecture, but their impact is felt in even the smallest details of everyday life. Discover how inventions like socks, fast food restaurants, and movie theaters got their start in Ancient Rome and evolved into things we enjoy today.

Explores the history and culture of Ancient Mesopotamia. Eye-catching photos, fascinating sidebars, and a "Contributions" special feature guide readers through the rise and fall of this great civilization, focusing on the people and accomplishments that made it unique.

Photos from the Hubble Space Telescope of what was thought to be empty space may provide information on the history of the universe.

Everyone makes mistakes, but they''re not often on display for the whole world to see. These blunders in battle have gone down in history and will never be forgotten.

The Bubonic Plague terrorized Europe and North Africa in the 14th century, killing millions of people. Readers learn many fascinating facts about what became known as the “Black Death.” They discover that the cause of the disease was unknown for most of the epidemic, and many unlikely things were blamed, including bad smells and occult rituals. Detailed sidebars and a comprehensive timeline augment the compelling text as it examines how the disastrous events of the plague were exacerbated by people’s ignorance of scientific facts.

Discusses the September 11 Terrorist Attacks and an iconic photograph that captured the historic event.

"Discusses the attack at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games and an iconic photograph that captured the historic event"--

Abraham Lincoln and the American Civil War are forever linked. The bloody conflict began in 1861, the year Lincoln was elected president. It ended in 1865, the year he was struck down by an assassin''s bullet. During those years the admired and despised 16th president served as a brilliant commander in chief, ultimately keeping the nation together and freeing thousands of its enslaved people.

Zeus (ZOOS) is a name that many people today recognize. When someone asks, "Who was Zeus?" the answer is often something like, "Um, wasn''t he the leader of the Greek gods?" Another common response is, "He''s the dude who threw thunderbolts at people!" It is not surprising that at least this much about him is fairly well known. After all, images from Greek mythology are widespread in modern books, graphic novels, TV shows, and movies.Beyond that, however, most people today know very little about Zeus. This is also not surprising. More than sixteen centuries have passed since the Greeks and Romans actually worshiped him. (The Romans called him Jupiter, pronounced JU-puh-ter.) In those days, almost everyone was very familiar with the many stories about his deeds and adventures. Today, those tales are called myths. And their details are known to only to a small minority of the population. Those who do take the time to learn about Zeus and his exploits, however, are never disappointed. They find that he was not only one of the most important gods in human history. He was also an extremely colorful and entertaining character.

In the fabulous annals of ancient Greek mythology, few characters were as famous as Jason (JAY-sin). He appears in several myths. But his most renowned deed was finding the Golden Fleece. That gleaming hide of a special, magical ram long rested in Colchis, a remote land located on the Black Sea''s northern coast. Jason and the men who accompanied him on his quest became known as the Argonauts. This was because their ship was the Argo, named after Argus (AR-gis), the man who built her. In the ancient Greeks'' eyes, Jason''s epic voyage to find the Fleece was a heroic act of the highest order. So he joined the ranks of the heroes, a small number of unusually brave and daring men celebrated in the Greek myths. They were larger-than-life individuals who took on tasks that most other people lacked the courage and skill to face. Heroes'' deeds "often had vital effects on human lives," modern myth-teller Philip Wilkinson writes. They "founded tribes and cities, killed monsters, and provided the necessities of life."In this retelling, author Don Nardo brings the magic of Jason to young readers.

This book explores what life was really like for everyday people in Ancient Rome. Using primary sources and information from archeological discoveries, it uncovers some fascinating insights and explodes some myths. Supported by timelines, maps and references to important events and people, children will really feel they are on a time-travelling journey when reading this book.

"Chronicles the historic meeting of two railroad lines in 1869 that linked the U.S. transcontinental railroad and Andrew J. Russell''s famous photograph of the event"--

What was life really like for everyday people in Ancient Egypt? In this detailed exploration of daily life in one of history''s greatest civilizations, readers will use primary sources and information from archeological discoveries to discover fascinating insights and debunk popular myths. Immersive timelines, maps and references to important people and events will bring children on a time-traveling journey through Ancient Egypt.

What was life really like for everyday people in the Islamic Golden Age? In this detailed exploration of daily life in one of history''s greatest civilizations, readers will use primary sources and information from archeological discoveries to discover fascinating insights and debunk popular myths. Immersive timelines, maps and references to important people and events will bring children on a time-traveling journey through the ancient Islamic world.

This book discusses the origins of Aztec myths and how some of these myths have been manipulated over time. The book details the major gods found within the mythology along with some of the most memorable tales, such as creation of the world and the making of humanity. Readers learn how Aztec myths have penetrated popular culture.

Our heart is our motor. Without it, we cease to exist, when it''s in peril, all other systems of the body are impacted. It is crucial that children learn early on that taking care of their heart is crucial. Studies are conclusive, for several years now, that certain foods we eat put us on the track to major heart problems. Give your readers this approachable guidebook on how diet can be used to control and even prevent heart disease.

Discusses various Egyptian myths, including creation stories and histories of principal gods and goddesses, along with background information and discussion questions and answers.

Intrigue your readers with one of the strangest events in American history. Mass hysteria struck colonial Massachusetts in 1692. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 were executed. Eventually, the colony admitted that the trials were a mistake, and it compensated the families of the members who were convicted of witchcraft.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt--the longest serving president in U.S. history--successfully guided Americans through two of the worst crises ever. He succeeded where others had failed in pulling the country back from the brink of collapse during the Great Depression. He lifted Americans'' spirits and turned them away from fear and defeatism. Then came the horrors and devastation of World War II. The brilliant and courageous Roosevelt proved to be an outstanding commander in chief, leading the world to victory over the powers of evil.

Southeast Asian Cultures in Perspective is an in-depth look at the different regional cultures of Southeast Asia with an emphasis on current culture. The young reader is presented with an overview of a variety of regional cultures that developed historically and analyzes how the cultural history shapes the Southeast Asian region''s current culture. The book is written in a lively and interesting style, and contains the Southeast Asian region''s languages, foods, music/dance, art/literature, religions, holidays, lifestyle, and most importantly contemporary culture in the country today. The book has been developed to address many of the Common Core specific goals, higher level thinking skills, and progressive learning strategies from informational texts for middle grade and junior high level students.

North African Cultures in Perspective is an in-depth look at the different regional cultures of northern Africa with an emphasis on current culture. The young reader is presented with an overview of a variety of regional cultures that developed historically and analyzes how the cultural history shapes the North African region''s current culture. The book is written in a lively and interesting style and discusses North African languages, foods, music/dance, art/literature, religions, holidays, lifestyle, and most importantly contemporary culture in the country today. The book has been developed to address many of the Common Core specific goals, higher level thinking skills, and progressive learning strategies from informational texts for middle grade and junior high level students.

Author Don Nardo examines the many aspects of science underlying the popular sport of surfing. This book discusses the physics of waves, the science behind board shape and how riders stay on the board, covering the principles of gravity, buoyancy, and water surface tension. It also covers the scientific principles behind movements such as popping-up on the board; catching a wave; riding a wave; turning; the "hang-ten"; the "duck dive"; the "turtle roll"; and others. Other connections to science are made through discussion of wiping out, rip currents, collisions and typical injuries, hypothermia, and shark attacks. This volume discusses psychological aspects, especially anxiety.

Recorded instances of slavery date back to the eighteenth century B.C.E. China and slave practices continue to take place in many countries all over the world. Slavery takes many forms and degrees, often reflecting the values and fissures of the cultures in which it takes place. This necessary volume analyzes the complex history of slavery in accessible chapters supplemented by maps, charts, and timelines to facilitate discussion. Relevant topics provide a broad understanding of issues including: the earliest examples of slavery, Ancient Greece and slavery defined as normal, slavery in the Roman empire, the development of the early modern slave trade, the institution of slavery in the United States, and how slavery persists in the modern world.

The astronauts headed to the moon in December 1972 thought they knew what to expect. They would soon be exploring the moon''s surface in a lunar rover, traveling farther than anyone before them. They would be collecting soil and rock samples for study back on Earth and could expect to learn about the moon''s physical makeup and age. But what they didn''t expect came as a huge bonus. The astronauts of Apollo 17 would produce an amazing photograph of planet Earth a lonely globe floating in inky black space. Their stunning Blue Marble image was destined to become one of the most reproduced and recognizable photos in history. And no one is 100 percent sure who took it.

Mathew Brady recognized that the new art of photography could be more than just a means of capturing people''s likenesses in portraits. Beginning with the First Battle of Bull Run in 1861 and continuing through the entire Civil War, Brady and his employees chronicled the long, bloody conflict, bringing images of war directly to the people. Brady knew the photos would create valuable historical records for later generations. More than any other photographer of his generation, Brady understood photography''s great potential and through his influence, he taught others to understand it as well.

Contents printed back-to-back and inverted.

Examines the photojournalism of Heinrich Hoffman, the personal photographer of Adolf Hitler, and the impact Hoffman''s photos had on events during the early years of World War II.