Presents a new perspective on Victorian scientific discoveries and inventions; includes a range of Victorian scientific fairy-tales and stories; looks at why fairies and their tales were chosen as an appropriate new form for capturing and presenting scientific and technological knowledge to young audiences; examines a range of scientific subjects, from palaeontology to entomology to astronomy.--Provided by publisher.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is an 1865 English children's novel by Lewis Carroll, a mathematics don at the University of Oxford. It details the story of a girl named Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world of anthropomorphic creatures. It is seen as an example of the literary nonsense genre. The artist John Tenniel provided 42 wood-engraved illustrations for the book.It received positive reviews upon release and is now one of the best-known works of Victorian literature; its narrative, structure, characters and imagery have had a widespread influence on popular culture and literature, especially in the fantasy genre. It is credited as helping end an era of didacticism in children's literature, inaugurating an era in which writing for children aimed to "delight or entertain". The tale plays with logic, giving the story lasting popularity with adults as well as with children. The titular character Alice shares her name with Alice Liddell, a girl Carroll knewscholars disagree about the extent to which the character was based upon her.
"Everyone knows the old saying "necessity is the mother of invention," but if you do a paternity test on many of the modern world's most important ideas or institutions, you will find, invariably, that leisure and play were involved in the conception as well." Most history books don't concern themselves with delight. History is the serious business of war, treaties, governments and monarchs. This is a different kind of history book. Steven Johnson argues that if you want to understand how we got to now, you have to understand pleasure and play. A staggering amount of the landscape of modern life is populated by environments and technology designed to entertain and delight us. Here history of popular entertainment, arguing that the pursuit of novelty and wonder is a powerful driver of world-shaping technological change. Throughout history, he locates the cutting edge of innovation wherever people are working the hardest to keep themselves and others amused.He introduces us to the colorful innovators of leisure: the explorers, proprietors, showmen, and artists who changed the trajectory of history with their luxurious wares, exotic meals, taverns, gambling tables, and magic shows.
Describing the biology, sociology, and technology of the fictional Latoocarfian civilization of Ganymede, one of Jupiter's moons, this book includes a cornucopia of curiosities--games played on fractal boards, instructions on creating globular star clusters using personal computers, and puzzles to stimulate the imagination.
Ranging across an array of realms including literature, classical music, history, archaeology, psychology, neuroscience, geology, physics, biology and ecology, this book tours the world's most amazing acoustic phenomena and the sometimes even stranger people behind them - and pleas for a deeper appreciation and respect for our shared sonic landscapes.
Fire up young readers' imagination and creativity with this classic story featuring added STEAM activities. This beloved children's adventure is retold with vivid and engaging new illustrations - and at the end of every chapter, there are exciting new science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics activities, themed around the events in the book. The activities range from simple puzzles to fun, dynamic experiments, so there's something for every enquiring mind. It's the ideal combination of enchanting story and stimulating science fun.
Even though The Wonderland of Nature has been written and produced in Australia for Australian children it is sure to be loved by all, no matter where in the world they are from. It presents the fascinating facts of Nature and Science in a simple, friendly style, with a profusion of illustrations, and with reference to the Australian scene. Children are endlessly enthralled by Nature--by the countless little things that they observe and pick up in their wanderings along bush-track and seashore. They are eager to know all about these things--and here is a book that tells them. It has been specially designed for two purposes--for children's enjoyment, and for their practical school needs. As well as dealing with Plants, Insects, Shells, Minerals, Air, Weather, etc., it also explains such things as Light, Sound, Magnetism and Electricity. After going through several previous editions, including being printed in braille, this new edition has been revised and updated to reflect current understanding, and expanded to teach new advances in science. A unique and timely publication in Australia, this books meets the school syllabus, drawing its references from our own everyday surroundings--and delighting while it teaches.
The author and illustrator of the best-selling coloring book Fairies in Wonderland brings to life the enchanting, fantastical world of mermaids in this interactive coloring and activity book for all ages, featuring intricate black-and-white line art to color, riddles, and a maze connected through the illustrations. Mermaids in Wonderland is a whimsical, magical foray into the undersea world of the ever-popular mermaid. Divided into two parts, "Day" and "Night," renowned artist Marcos Chin reimagines these creatures in various intricately illustrated scenarios sure to enthrall coloring enthusiasts, both young and young at heart. Here are dozens of lovely line drawings to color, from mermaids riding a sea horse merry-go-round to a deep cavern filled with treasures; mermaids styling their flowing tresses to a range aquatic flora and fauna. Offering more than a standard coloring book, Mermaids in Wonderland is a meditative, interactive journey, filled with delightful riddles and puzzles that stimulate the mind. As enthusiasts add vivid color to the charming artwork and discover more of this lush wonderland, they will find images of lettered keys embedded in the drawings. Unscrambling the keys reveals the answers to a riddle and unlocks prizes—images representative of the words and tools needed to solve other riddles throughout the book. Also included are four perforated postcards to color and send or display. Featuring a heavy card stock cover with extra-wide flaps, printed on heavy white paper with excellent opacity ideal for coloring with a range of instruments—markers, pencils, crayons, or paints—and framing, Mermaids in Wonderland provides hours of entertainment and fun and encourages colorist to tap into their creative spirits.
