New Releases by Richard Platt

How does the body protect itself from infections? What makes your tummy rumble? Are you taller at the beginning or end of the day? This extraordinary book actually takes you inside - and around - the human body to see how it works, with the help of some truly unique illustrations and some very small people! Explore your brain, your bones, and everything in between in incredible cross-section drawings of all the body systems. Inside each one are teams of tiny characters busy at work, and explaining what''s going on. Every page is packed with jaw-dropping facts. Did you know that the skin is your largest organ - in an adult, it''s 2 sq m (22 sq ft). Have you ever thought about how heavy the brain is? Well, it''s about 1.4 kg (3 lb) and is crammed with 100 billion nerve cells that help you think and move. And by the time you turn 75, your heart will have pumped blood around your body 4,000 million times! With the challenge of finding two tiny explorers making their way through the body, learning about anatomy has never been so much fun!

How many rivets and bolts hold the wings of a Boeing 777 plane together? Why does an astronaut''s spacesuit have a layer of liquid-cooled underwear? Who puts the jam in doughnuts? Find out the answers to these questions and much, much more in Stephen Biesty''s Incredible Cross-Sections of Everything. His intricate artwork will have children and adults alike poring over every detail, whether it''s following the production line of a factory making newspapers or exploring the insides of the Saturn V rocket. Taking you through every stage of each process is Chester the Tester, a character who helps explain how things are made, along with his sidekick Hector the Inspector. Written with humor and fascinating facts to guide you through the illustrations, this book is a glorious way to learn about the world around you. First published 25 years ago, Stephen Biesty''s Incredible Cross-Sections series has been updated for the silver anniversary, bringing delight to a whole new generation of curious young readers.

A deliciously humorous and comprehensive history of disease and pestilence, told from the point of view of the bugs and pests that cause them. The Germ Lab features case histories of specific epidemics, ''eyewitness'' accounts from the rats, flies, ticks and creepy-crawlies who spread diseases, plus plenty of fascinating facts and figures on the biggest and worst afflictions. Illustrated throughout with brilliantly entertaining artworks and endearing characters, you''ll be entertained by a cabinet war room showing the war on germs, a rogues'' gallery highlighting the worst offenders, the very deadliest diseases examined under the microscope, and much more.

This illustrated book for children shows you how things work. Look inside the human body, explore the magic of Venice, and take a tour around a movie studio - and much more! Part of a unique series, More Incredible Cross-sections is Stephen Biesty at the top of his game. In this updated edition with a refreshed, contemporary style, he gives readers an exploded view of 12 objects, places, landmarks, and modes of transport. But look closer! In every picture is an alien who has lost his way: can you find him? As you pore over Stephen Biesty''s superbly detailed pages, you will also discover loads of awesome facts. Did you know that steam engines were notoriously difficult to stop, leading to frequent accidents? Or that people at an Antarctic research base rely on supplies from an aircraft''s parachute drops during winter? From windmills to cities, airports to space stations, More Incredible Cross-sections is for curious minds of any age interested in finding out how our amazing world works.

Quand la roue a-t-elle été créée ? Qui a réellement inventé l''ampoule ? Un ordinateur peut-il être aussi intelligent que le cerveau humain ? Grâce au génie humain et à la persévérance, des maladies mortelles ont été éradiquées, de nouvelles aires de notre galaxie ont été découvertes... Explorez cet inventaire des plus grandes découvertes et voyez comment elles continuent à changer notre monde ! [www.payot.ch]

An essential compendium of some of the most world-changing discoveries and inventions of all time, from the first use of money to antibiotics and artificial intelligence. In a stylish miscellany, celebrated author Richard Platt and printmaker James Brown travel through time to showcase the amazing breakthroughs in science and technology that have changed our lives forever. From the wheel to the telephone to the Internet, human history is studded with innovations that have changed our world. Each bold, bright, and beautiful infographic is complete with engaging and easy-to-understand explanations. A follow-up to international bestseller A World of Information and its companion, A World of Cities, this book covers thirty groundbreaking discoveries and is perfect for inquiring minds of all ages.

Look inside an 18th-century warship as it sails into battle on the high seas. Packed with extraordinary illustrations, this history book for children covers everything from warship design to navigation. Biesty''s incredible drawings slice through a man-of-war to explore every corner, from the crow''s nest to the stinking hold. Packed with fascinating facts and gory details, the pages teem with sailors going about their duties. Find out how gun crews fired a cannon, examine a surgeon''s toolkit, and learn the best way to wriggle the maggots out of the ship''s biscuits. Look out, too, for the stowaway on every page. He''s the one with spiky hair, and there''s a reward for his capture! This absorbing book will have children--and adults--poring over every page. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Stephen Biesty''s Cross-Sections Man-of-War remains as entertaining as ever.

History comes alive in this incredible children''s illustrated book about castles. Slicing through different areas of a medieval fortress, extraordinary views reveal the people busy inside, preparing for battle as an enemy army approaches. Packed with facts, you''ll find out what it takes to build a massive 14th-century castle, dress a knight in armor, or prepare a feast fit for a king or queen. From the drawbridge to the dungeon, Cross-Sections Castle swarms with the people who keep the castle going--the workers, craftsmen, and servants. And, as you pore over every page, look out for the villainous spy. Is he in the well... the keep... the moat? No? Keep looking, he''s there somewhere! Back in print after 20 years, you can now cheer on jousters, be entertained by a troubadour, and witness the gory details of a traitor''s demise. This unique illustrated book for kids is not just the story of a castle; it brings medieval history to life.

This children''s book explores the innermost workings of some extraordinary buildings and machines. From helicopters to submarines, skyscrapers to coal mines, open up a fascinating world packed with unique and detailed cutaway drawings. Whether it''s a Spanish galleon or a medieval castle, each cross-section slice or exploded view reveals what''s going on inside. See the people swarming inside the Empire State Building, the workers busy backstage at an opera house, and where the crew sleep on a jumbo jet. Included also are two impressive fold-outs showing an ocean liner and a steam train. There are lots of fun facts to be discovered, and curious details are highlighted and explained. Did you know one of the funnels of the Queen Mary liner was fake, and used for storing deckchairs? And in almost every scene there''s the challenge... to find a man sitting on a toilet! With more than a million copies sold, Stephen Biesty''s award-winning illustrated book is as fascinating today as it was when first published, in 1992. Incredible Cross-sections is the ultimate way to see how things work.

Facts and figures for the curious reader. Covers more than 30 fascinating "general knowledge" topics, including shapes, tides, the solar system, and the periodic table.

"Not many, if any, children’s books on the Middle Ages and castles contain the wealth of information found in this fresh, appealing offering." -- SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (starred review) What was it really like to live in a castle? Step back to the Middle Ages with CASTLE DIARY: THE JOURNAL OF TOBIAS BURGESS. Eleven-year-old Toby’s vivid diary entries offer an insider’s view of day-to-day castle life, including tips on etiquette (where do you spit at a feast?) and exciting descriptions of hunting, jousting, and harvesting. Complete with glossary, index, and detailed endnotes, this is a rich look at medieval life that informs as much as it entertains.

"Platt weaves vast quantities of nautical information into a text as lively as it is absorbing." - Publishers Weekly (starred review) Curious about life on a pirate ship? Check out PIRATE DIARY: THE JOURNAL OF JAKE CARPENTER, an 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!

Set in the future (2098), five school children have won an international competition to visit outer space. They will journey to the distant star system of Alpha Centauri on the spaceship Argo to find a new home. Dramas unfold on the trip before they finally discover a new planet with great potential for human life to survive. These 128-page books are perfect for elementary and middle grade students who can read alone confidently. The narrative and dialogue are fictional and read like the novels this age group is just beginning to discover, but the books are filled with nonfiction facts and information about the topic at hand. Interspersed throughout are genre spreads that make this a true DK book. Photographs and illustrations throughout the book engage and interest readers as they access information and develop their reading comprehension skills. Presented in chapters, the books in the DK Adventures series are perfect choices for kids who like to read for pleasure and need to read for class.

New series from DK designed to help kids learn how to read and learn to love reading Galactic Mission is a ''Reading Alone'' reader, perfect for children who are proficient readers, developing the habit of reading widely for both pleasure and information. DK Reads proves that good reads build great readers. Year 2098: planet Earth is dying. Five school children embark on a life or death mission to the distant star system of Alpha Centauri to find a new home. Right from the start, the mission goes wrong, and the children find themselves alone, facing the dangers ahead, using their courage and wits. But is everyone not as they seem? Galactic Mission is part of the new DK Reads series, a three-level reading scheme that helps children become confident readers, featuring engaging and illustrated topics, plus fun interactive aspects such as diaries, recipes, and games that support the national curriculum. DK Reads is created in consultation with literacy experts and adheres to levelled reading scheme guidelines so the grammar, vocabulary, and content are spot on for each stage. Now available with text that lights up as you read along and playful images and sounds.

Explore the history of espionage with the DK Reader Spies! Meet the famous and the infamous - the agents and the double agents. Infiltrate the FBI, CIA, and KGB and follow the evolution of the tools of the trade, including industrial spying and computer hackers. Packed with full-color photographs, lively illustrations, and engaging, age-appropriate stories to introduce young children to a life-long love of reading. These amazing stories are guaranteed to capture children''s interest while developing their reading skills. Perfect for reading together!

There are plants that prickle, sting, and even munch insects for lunch! So, never bite a strange plant - it might bite back! Packed with full-color photographs, lively illustrations, and engaging, age-appropriate stories to introduce young children to a life-long love of reading. These amazing stories are guaranteed to capture children''s interest while developing their reading skills. Perfect for reading together!

DK Readers: Spiders'' Secrets is now available with read-along audio feature, paced so that a child can read along with the text according to their level of reading confidence. It is the ideal programme to enable parents to support their child''s literacy at home. Compiled in close consultation with leading literacy experts. Spiders'' Secrets takes a look at all kinds of spiders from around the world, from hairy tarantulas to eight-eyed jumping spiders.

As One Devil to Another is an astonishing debut work that C. S. Lewis’s biographer and foremost Lewis authority Walter Hooper calls “a stunning achievement, the finest example of the genre of diabolical correspondence to appear since this genre was popularized by C. S. Lewis.” Enter into this chilling and diabolical tale, one that reveals the very tricks and strategies of Hell. Through a series of letters between devils created by Platt, senior devil Slashreap trains his young protégé, Scardagger, to win an individual soul away from Heaven and into their clutches. As the devils plot their way to triumph, they reveal the spiritual dangers and risks we face in today’s society. Their frighteningly accurate perspective on issues such as contemporary technology and sexual mores is interwoven with timeless matters such as the power of prayer, the purpose of suffering, and the promises held out by Heaven . . . and Hell. Destined to become a modern classic, As One Devil to Another is a brilliantly written, deeply unsettling perspective on twenty-first-century society . . . a glimpse of ourselves through the eyes of those who have embraced their underworldly existence.

Describes ten different types of pirates throughout history, from Vikings and corsairs to privateers and yang-fei, and matches their strengths and weaknesses against one another in fictional battles.

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.

Follows historical events in London''s history and the persons who had or have inhabited London.

Presents information about men and women spies throughout history as well as about the tools and equipment they used in espionage and intelligence service.

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

Forensics explores the crime lab and helps readers to discover how detectives use scientific evidence to solve crimes. Find out how specialists can match trace evidence and how famous crimes were solved, from the disappearance of Darlie Routier''s children to finding the infamous New York bomber.

Follow the story of a house in Pompeii from 550 B.C. to the present day, meeting the people who lived there through the ages.

DK Eyewitness Books: Pirate offers everything you ever wanted to know about pirates, from why European kings and queens encouraged piracy to what pirates ate at sea. Sink into this exciting introduction to the world of sea-thieves - their origins, adventures, blood-thirsty battles, and much, much more!

A guide to all three of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, lavishly illustrated with pictures from the movies.

The extraordinary emergence of smuggling during the 18th and 19th century forms much of the history of the coastline of the British Isles, and the traditional image of the fisherman-cum-smuggler has intrigued historians and fiction-writers alike for decades. But how accurate is this traditional picture of the smuggler? In this fascinating history, maritime historian Richard Platt explores the captivating story of smuggling in 18th and 19th-century Britain, when high taxes led to a dramatic increase in illegal imports. As the "free trade" grew, smugglers openly landed contraband in full view of the customs authorities: columns of heavily-armed thugs protected the cargoes. Documenting every aspect of the smuggling industry, from the practical problems of stowing contraband and getting it to its final destination to the legendary hiding places and caves used to conceal goods until their sale, this compelling book will intrigue all those with an interest in the sea and its history, and shows how a small-scale trade that enjoyed widespread popular support grew into a vast and violent industry.