Shalini Saxena

Voting may not be a legal obligation, but it is certainly one of the most important privileges citizens of a democracy have. Serving as a primer on civic engagement, this lively volume teaches readers about the basics of the electoral process—from registration to casting a ballot—in the United States. Readers will learn about the different types of elections, what campaigns are, and how ordinary citizens can effect change. Guiding questions invite...

"Explores the planet Pluto and other dwarf planets, and looks at its physical characteristics, history, and what the future might hold." --

The remarkable Cheyenne have adapted to many changes throughout their history. In the 1700s, they shifted from an agricultural lifestyle to one focusing on hunting buffalo on the Great Plains. They had to adapt again in the 1870s after they were forced onto reservations. Readers will be introduced to the rich culture of the Northern and Southern Cheyenne through fascinating facts about their language, tribal societies, traditional clothing, and life...

"American goldfinches are much beloved across North America, as evidenced by their status as state bird of Iowa, New Jersey, and Washington. These acrobatic little creatures seem to bounce through the air, making them a popular subject for backyard bird watchers. The narrator of this fun journal-styled volume offers a wealth of information about these little yellow-feathered birds as well as how readers can observe their behaviors for themselves....

Given the vastness of the universe, it is not difficult to imagine the possibility of life-even intelligent life-beyond Earth. Yet whether any extraterrestrial beings have ever made contact with us and if any evidence of this contact exists, remains widely debated. Evaluating tales of alien encounters and UFO sightings with a critical eye, this absorbing volume considers the possibility of extraterrestrial life by carefully separating scientific fact...

"Auroras -- the dancing lights that most often grace the night skies of the North and South Poles -- look like magnificent kaleidoscopes of light and color to the naked eye. This absorbing volume breaks down this breathtaking phenomenon, using it to introduce elementary readers to the basics of magnetism and atmospheric science. The narrative carefully explains how the Earth's poles and atmosphere affect solar wind and describes how similar dazzling...

"Whirlpools, swirling vortexes in the ocean sometimes capable of capsizing entire ships, have long been featured in legend as the work of sea monsters or as gateways to other worlds. We now know that they are normal oceanic currents, usually caused by tides. This attractive volume concisely examines the natural and human-made conditions that create whirlpools, eddies, and more, providing a window into the field of oceanography for an elementary audience"--Amazon.com....