Most Popular Books by Richard PLATT

Series -Eyewitness readers- from covers.

Curious about life on a pirate ship? Climb aboard this account of adventure on the high seas as told by a feisty nine-year-old carpenter''s apprentice, circa 1716. Curious about life on a pirate ship? Climb aboard this account of adventure on the high seas as told by a feisty nine-year-old carpenter''s apprentice, circa 1716. Historically accurate illustrations of ship and crew, a map of Jake''s travels, and a detailed glossary and index vividly reveal the fascinating — and harsh — life of a pirate in the eighteenth century. Ships ahoy!

A photographic essay explores the history and technology of filmmaking, including how a set is built, how stunts are performed, how special effects are achieved, and how films are edited.

An introduction to pirates discusses life aboard a pirate ship, examines the tools of the trade, and portrays famous pirates.

Shows how the latest methods of scientific detection are used to uncover the truth about a crime scene, and to reveal how crimes were committed, explaining the techniques and equipment used by forensic investigators.

A great non-fiction alternative to middle grade readers -- perfect for school projects or reading for fun. Full-color, fun, and crammed with cool facts, DK''s Secret Worlds take a fresh look at familiar subjects with brilliant results! Kids ages 9 and up can delve into a wide range of subjects from nature, history, and science for researching school projects, satisfying a curious appetite, or just for the love of reading. Tried-and-tested Web sites and a Mega-reference section are just two of the innovative features that will keep kids and parents coming back for more.

Discusses why some photographers use black-and-white film only and shows how it can be used by amateurs to create interesting effects in photos.

Various kinds of spiders, including the black widow, tarantula, and water spider, describe their physical characteristics, behavior, and habitats.

"Describes medical practices and treatments throughout history, many of which were dangerous, painful, and ineffective"--Provided by publisher.

Twentieth Century History Makers is an important new series of biography aimed at introducing older children to the most important historical figures of the 20th century. Young readers can find out about the events of the subject''s lives and how they impacted, for both good and evil, on the world. Ages 9+.

Explains the evolution of aircraft over the last century.

Illustrates a day in the life of an apartment building by showing activities going on in different units at various times between 7:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m.

How did the Allies plan and execute the most massive and daring invasion in military history? Read all about it in the DK Reader that explains in thrilling detail how the Nazis were defeated on the beaches of France. DK Readers is a multi-level learning-to-read program combining DK''s highly visual style with appealing stories at five graduated levels. Stunning photographs and engaging, age-appropriate stories are guaranteed to capture a child''s interest while developing reading skills and general knowledge. DK Readers allow progression of stories for beginning readers with simple sentences and word repetition through to stories with rich vocabulary and more challenging sentence structure for proficient readers.

The year is AD 107 and Iliona, an educated Greek girl, has been orphaned and sold as a slave in Rome. Apart from her diary, she hasn''t a friend in the world. But the family she works for are not unkind, and as Iliona begins to make friends and look around her, she discovers that the city at the heart of the empire is a fascinating place.

Activity-packed journal follows Duncan Cameron under the sea as he searches for mysterious lost gold.

"A fresh, lively voice. . . . Replete with details of daily life." — Kirkus Reviews The year is 1464 BC, and Nakht’s family is moving to the city of Memphis. Nakht, who is studying to be a scribe, keeps a journal of the many sights and sounds of the bustling city — temples and pyramids, cargo ships, a hippopotamus hunt, even a tomb robbery. Presented as a lively diary, here is an invitation for readers to witness firsthand what life was like for one boy in Egypt 3,500 years ago.

Part of a series of reference books that give detailed information on a wide variety of subjects and interests. This book is a visual guide to the history of the cinema - its technology and development from the first silent movies to epic, contemporary films. The history starts from the cinema''s early precursors such as Javanese shadow puppets, the Magic Lantern and Edward Muybridge''s experiments with the photography of movement, to the first movie cameras and projectors, the development of sound and the glamour of Hollywood. The book features all the major genres from Westerns to epics and from horror films to comedies.

A look at some extreme sports, such as steep skiing and freestyle motocross.

"...alive with animation and sound and chock-full of information". -- Booklist

Pop-up book detailing the first landing on the Moon on July 20, 1969.

Traces humanity''s fascination with mountains and mountaineering, focusing specificially on historic expeditions to Mount Everest.

It''s 1906, and David O''Connor, newly orphaned and alone in the world, has had to leave his home in Ireland to go and live with his uncle and aunt in America. His journey to New York and his new life there are tougher than David could ever have imagined, especially when he is harbouring a dark secret which he must take with him to his grave.

Why is the Brazilian rainforest vanishing so quickly? And why is it essential to the whole world? This story describes how a native tribe is battling potential developers. Can a solution be found that will protect the forest and allow the tribe to continue living as they always have done, while benefiting from limited development?Ages 7 and up

Text and cutaway illustrations depict life aboard a British warship of the Napoleonic era, covering such topics as work, leisure, discipline, navigating, and fighting.

Explores the variety of ways in which humans communicate, including flags and fires, speech and writing, and through use of electronic media such as television and the internet.

Text and cross-section illustrations present inside views of a variety of subjects including a space station, airport, and windmill.

Introduces stinging plants, poisonous plants, and plants that eat animals.