What's the difference between skin and scales? Why do some animals live inside a hard shell? Early readers will learn about the diverse body coverings that allow animals to survive in their various environments, from the jungle to the ocean. Using simple language and close text-to-image correlation, this book introduces children to the fascinating ways animals' bodies have evolved to thrive in different parts of the world.
The beautifully written story of shells and their makers, and our relationships with them. Seashells are the sculpted homes of a remarkable group of animals: the molluscs. These are some of the most ancient and successful animals on the planet. But watch out. Some molluscs can kill you if you eat them. Some will kill you if you stand too close. That hasn't stopped people using shells in many ways over thousands of years. They became the first jewelry and oldest currencies; they've been used as potent symbols of sex and death, prestige and war, not to mention a nutritious (and tasty) source of food. Spirals in Time is an exuberant aquatic romp, revealing amazing tales of these undersea marvels. Helen Scales leads us on a journey into their realm, as she goes in search of everything from snails that 'fly' underwater on tiny wings to octopuses accused of stealing shells and giant mussels with golden beards that were supposedly the source of Jason's golden fleece, and learns how shells have been exchanged for human lives, tapped for mind-bending drugs and inspired advances in medical technology. Weaving through these stories are the remarkable animals that build them, creatures with fascinating tales to tell, a myriad of spiralling shells following just a few simple rules of mathematics and evolution. Shells are also bellwethers of our impact on the natural world. Some species have been overfished, others poisoned by polluted seas; perhaps most worryingly of all, molluscs are expected to fall victim to ocean acidification, a side-effect of climate change that may soon cause shells to simply melt away. But rather than dwelling on what we risk losing, Spirals in Time urges you to ponder how seashells can reconnect us with nature, and heal the rift between ourselves and the living world.
If you could have any animal's coat, whose would you choose? What if you woke up one morning and discovered your body was covered in an animal's scales, feathers, or fur instead of your own skin? How would that change your life? What If You Had Animal Scales!? is the next imaginative book in Sandra Markle's popular What If You Had series. If you had a chinchilla's fur, you'd never need to worry about bug spray. If you had a hammerhead shark's scales, you'd be the fastest swimmer on the team! And if you had a honeybee's coat, you'd always bring home the biggest haul on Halloween. Discover what your life would be like if you had these special coats -- and find out why your skin is just right for you!
Explore new options in improvisational piecing and empower your creativity! Cut and combine solid-color fabrics to create your own “prints”—stripes, polka dots, chevrons, plaids, and more. Forget the rules (and even your ruler) as you piece colorful solids into compelling quilt designs. Use color, pattern, and repetition to develop your personal design aesthetic as you stitch freely to create unique quilts that pack a punch!
What, exactly, do you know about your body? Do you know how your immune system works? Or what your pancreas does? Or the myriad -- and often simple -- ways you can improve the way your body functions? This full-color, visually rich guide answers these questions and more. Matthew MacDonald, noted author of Your Brain: The Missing Manual, takes you on a fascinating tour of your body from the outside in, beginning with your skin and progressing to your vital organs. You'll look at the quirks, curiosities, and shortcomings we've all learned to live with, and pick up just enough biology to understand how your body works. You'll learn: That you shed skin more frequently than snakes do Why the number of fat cells you have rarely changes, no matter how much you diet or exercise -- they simply get bigger or smaller How you can measure and control fat That your hair is made from the same stuff as horses' hooves That you use only a small amount of the oxygen you inhale Why blood pressure is a more important health measure than heart rate -- with four ways to lower dangerously high blood pressure Why our bodies crave foods that make us fat How to use heart rate to shape an optimal workout session -- one that's neither too easy nor too strenuous Why a tongue with just half a dozen taste buds can identify thousands of flavors Why bacteria in your gut outnumbers cells in your body -- and what function they serve Why we age, and why we can't turn back the clock What happens to your body in the minutes after you die Rather than dumbed-down self-help or dense medical text, Your Body: The Missing Manual is entertaining and packed with information you can use. It's a book that may well change your life. Reader comments for Your Brain: The Missing Manual, also by author Matthew MacDonald: "Popular books on the brain are often minefields of attractive but inaccurate information. This one manages to avoid most of the hype and easy faulty generalizations while providing easy to read and digest information about the brain. It has useful tricks without the breathless hype of many popular books."-- Elizabeth Zwicky, The Usenix Magazine "...a unique guide that should be sought after by any who want to maximize what they can accomplish with their mental abilities and resources."-- James A. Cox, The Midwest Book Review - Wisconsin Bookwatch "If you can't figure out how to use your brain after reading this guide, you may want to return your brain for another."-- The Sacramento Book Review, Volume 1, Issue 2, Page 19 "It's rare to find a book on any technical subject that is as well written and readable as Your Brain: The Missing Manual. The book covers pretty much anything you may want to know about your brain, from what makes it up, through how it develops to how to mitigate the affects of aging. The book is easy reading, fact packed and highlighted notes and practical applications. So if you want to learn more about your brain, how it works, how to get the best out of it or just want to stave off the ravages of Alzheimers (see chapter ten for details of how learning helps maintain your brain) then I can't recommend this book highly enough."-- Neil Davis, Amazon.co.uk "MacDonald's writing style is perfect for this kind of guide. It remains educational without becoming overly technical or using unexplained jargon. And even though the book covers a broad scope of topics, MacDonald keeps it well organized and easy to follow. The book captures your attention with fun facts and interesting studies that any person could apply to their own understanding of human ability. It has great descriptions of the brain and its interconnected parts, as well as providing full color pictures and diagrams to offer a better explanation of what the author is talking about."-- Janica Unruh, Blogcritics Magazine
