Most Popular Books by Rebecca Stefoff

"A critical exploration of ghosts and haunted houses"--Provided by publisher.

Focuses on the pros and cons of marriage in the United States--including covenant marriages, same-sex unions, and the effect of divorce on kids--through personal stories, opinions, and scholarly studies. Provides a historical look at marriage and includes

Two of every five mammals on Earth are rodents, yet most people know little about this amazingly diverse order of animals. Rats and mice may be all too familiar, but what about gundis and degus? And did you know that porcupines are rodents, but rabbits are not? The Rodent Order explores the world of rodents, from prehistoric guinea pigs the size of horses to the Laotian rock rat, a "living fossil" recently found alive in the forests of Southeast Asia. The Rodent Order also examines the long relationship between people and rodents. For thousands of years, rodents have influenced human life as pests, food, pets, and carriers of disease. Today human activities are threatening the survival of some rodent species, but other rodents are flourishing-sometimes right under our noses. Book jacket.

Examines the 1972 Supreme Court case Furman v. Georgia in regard to the death penalty.

Discusses the development of the telephone, from its early days until today.

Describes the evolution, body structure, and behavior of dogs, and discusses their interaction with people.

Forensic Science Investigated takes young readers inside this fast-growing field, showing them how crime scene investigators and forensic specialists gather evidence, solve crimes, and even liberate innocent people who have been mistakenly imprisoned.

Takes young readers inside this fast-growing field, showing them how crime scene investigators and forensic specialists gather evidence, solve crimes, and even liberate innocent people who have been mistakenly imprisoned.

This series takes readers on a journey through the evolutionary history of humans.

"A critical exploration of witches and witchcraft"--Provided by publisher.

This series takes readers on a journey through the evolutionary history of humans.

Forensic Science Investigated takes young readers inside this fast-growing field, showing them how crime scene investigators and forensic specialists gather evidence, solve crimes, and even liberate innocent people who have been mistakenly imprisoned.

"A summary of the life cycle, diet, behavior, anatomy, and conservation status of deer"--Provided by publisher.

Explores twelve archeological "lost cities," with accounts of site discovery and investigation of the meaning of recovered objects.

Discover the lives of Mary Read and Anne Bonny, the dangerous female duo who sailed with Calico Jack.

Discusses the evolution, biology, life cycle, and social and mating and behavior of chimpanzees.

Explores the folklore and facts connected with vampires, zombies, and shape-shifters such as werewolves.

"An exploration of the origins, history, development, and societal impact of the microscope and the telescope"--Provided by publisher.

"Describes the rise of modern humans, Homo sapiens, including the theories about our origins and how we spread throughout the world, with information based on the latest fossil and DNA studies"--Provided by publisher.

A critical exploration of magic, its history, and practitioners.

Mammals with young that develop in pouches after birth are marsupials, or metatherians. Kangaroos, koalas, and Tasmanian devils are just a few of the best-known members of this order. Dozens of small, shy, little-known species are found in the Americas and around Australia. The Marsupial Order explores the origins of these mammals and examines their unusual reproductive method, which has unique advantages. In addition, The Marsupial Order discusses the biology, life cycles, and ecological roles of marsupials, as well as current threats to their survival and approaches to conservation. With a survey of the various metatherian suborders and families, The Marsupial Order introduces pouched mammals from wombats to wallabies and beyond. Book jacket.

Did you know that half of all the animals in the world that have backbones are fish? There are more kinds of fishes than there are amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals added together. And scientists are discovering more species of fish almost weekly. Brilliantly colored or camouflaged, as big as a whale or smaller than a little fingernail, fishes are found almost everywhere there is water. The Fish Classes explores the origins of the first fishes, with a glimpse of some of the extraordinary varieties that became extinct long ago. The book also examines the five classes of modern fishes, surveys their physical features, habitats, and ways of life, as well as some of the threats they face today. Book jacket.

From emperor penguins nesting in the frozen reaches of Antartica to peregrine falcons that have made themselves at home among urban skyscrapers, birds are amazingly adaptable. The Bird Class surveys the many orders and families of living birds and traces the origins of these winged, feathered marvels. Bird biology, life cycles, behavior, and habitats are also explored. The Bird Class sounds a warning about the threats that many of the world''s ten thousand bird species now face, and describes some of the actions being taken to protect them. Book jacket.

In this explosive book, Houston Baker takes stock of the current state of Black Studies in the university and outlines its responsibilities to the newest form of black urban expression—rap. A frank, polemical essay, Black Studies, Rap, and the Academy is an uninhibited defense of Black Studies and an extended commentary on the importance of rap. Written in the midst of the political correctness wars and in the aftermath of the Los Angeles riots, Baker''s meditation on the academy and black urban expression has generated much controversy and comment from both ends of the political spectrum.

Bridges have helped people cross large bodies of water for millennia. Readers discover the engineering behind bridges.

On March 23, 1900, Arthur John Evans and his staff began to excavate on Crete, looking for the fabled site of Knossos, where an extraordinary civilization, a precursor to classical Greece, was rumored to have existed. Almost from the first shovel stroke, artifacts began to emerge. Evans realized that here was "an extraordinary phenomenon, nothing Greek, nothing Roman. A wholly unexplored world." The Palace of Minos at Knossos recounts the exciting story of uncovering a remarkable society lost to the world for 3,500 years, from its initial discovery through its excavation to the structure we see today. Sidebars on archaeological techniques, illustrations of the sites, tables, and diagrams throughout provide a wealth of information on the Palace. The use of artifacts and other "documents" recovered from the Palace bring out the voices of the people of the past, offering clues to who they were and how they lived. The Palace of Minos at Knossos concludes with an interview with archaeologist Chris Scarre who talks about the misperceptions about Knossos and what we really know about its culture.

Discusses the territorial expansion of the United States following the Civil War, as well as the country''s increasing role in international affairs and its growing population.

Discusses monarchies as a political system, and details the history of monarchies throughout the world.

Roads allow people and goods to travel across land quickly and safely. Discover the engineering behind roads.

From Gruesome Human remains found in a London basement to beheaded walruses on an Alaskan beach, forensic experts have examined evidence in hundreds of thousands of crimes. In Famous Forensic Cases readers look inside some of these investigations. An introduction to forensic science is followed by a look at the career of a scientist who made headlines in some of the most notorious cases of the twentieth century. Famous Forensic Cases then opens the files on a series of investigations, including those of a baby-snatching wild dog, a serial killer turned celebrity, and a "black widow" murderess. Along the way, readers explore a variety of old and new forensic tools and techniques, and they learn that forensic science can prove innocence as well as guilt. Book jacket.

A biography of the man who since 1969 has been chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization, a group working to establish an Arab state in what was once Palestine and is now mostly in Israel.

"An examination of the origin, history, development, and impact of the submarine and related underwater exploration and transport technology"--Provided by publisher.

Mammals originated on land. Millions of years ago, some of them adapted to life in the sea. They were the ancestors of today''s sea mammals: whales, manatees, seals, otters, and more. Sea Mammals explores the origins and history of marine mammals, then looks at the many varieties that exist today, from the blue whale-the largest animal that has ever lived-to the vaquita, the world''s smallest and most endangered sea mammal. It also focuses on the role of sea mammals in human life, the questions that fascinate marine mammal researchers, and the future of these creatures that share the oceans with fish and reptiles but are biologically closer to bears and elephants. Book jacket.

Discover the life of Redbeard (Heyreddin Barbarossa), the powerful Ottoman Admiral who nearly conquered Africa.

Argues both sides of the debate on assisted suicide and euthanasia.

Skyscrapers stretch high into a cityu0092s skyline, providing places to work and live for millions of people. Discover the engineering behind skyscrapers.

Traces the life and career of Vice President Gore, describes his experiences in Vietnam, and explains how he developed an interest in environmental issues.

It can be hard to imagine a time when it was generally believed that the shape of our earth was a flat plane or disk. This book exposes the bizarre and sometimes hilarious history of science, explores pseudo-scientific theories from the past, and the scientific progress made since then through use of the scientific method. Through the scientific method, anecdotes, historic facts, and the scientific theories themselves, it tells the story of why people of a particular time period believed in such things and the discoveries that led us to learn otherwise.

Focusing on a variety of groups-Jews, Chinese, Japanese, Africans, Irish, Mexicans, Afghans, Vietnamese, and more-this volume tells America''s story through the millions of people who came here seeking the opportunity.