Roberta Baxter

Mosquitoes bite. Their bites make us itchy. They make an annoying whining sound. Most people hate them. But mosquitoes are also pollinators. Pollinators help plants to grow. Orchids and goldenrods need pollination by mosquitoes to survive. Like butterflies, the elephant mosquito carries pollen from flower to flower. Native Pollinators: Mosquitoes is a good place to start learning about the role of mosquitoes in the life cycle of plants.

Did you know that archaeologists found an elephant skin drum more than 30,000 years old in ice in Antarctica? This makes the drum one of the oldest musical instruments used by humans. This title is richly illustrated with large photographs, maps, and a STEM activity that provides simple instructions to help children make their own instrument. Drums is a reading journey that inspires and stimulates learning exploration.

Did you know that archaeologists discovered a flute more than 40,000 years old in a cave in Germany? That makes the flute one of the oldest instruments in the world. Flutes are still played and enjoyed. Its high, clear notes soar. This title is richly illustrated with large photographs, maps, and a STEM activity that provides simple instructions to help children make their own instruments. Flutes is a reading journey that inspires and stimulates learning...

Hummingbirds are amazing! They can hover, fly up and down, and they are the only bird to fly backwards. Their wings flap 50 to 60 times each second creating the humming noise for which they are named. Hummingbirds are native to the Americas. They pollinate honeysuckle, the morning glory, blueberry flowers, and an array of other trumpet-shaped native plants. Native Pollinators: Hummingbirds is a good place to start learning about these energetic pollinators....

Anthropologists believe that the oldest musical instrument is the human voice. There is no culture, no matter how primitive or remote, that does not sing. People can sing high and low notes, and with great emotion. This title is richly illustrated with large photographs, maps, and a STEM activity that provides simple instructions to help children make their own instrument. Voices is a reading journey that inspires and stimulates learning exploration....

Flies get no respect. People shoo them. They swat them. They use bug spray to kill them. But the next time you see a fly, think twice before you strike. Flies can be annoying but helpful too. They are pollinators. Pollinators help plants produce the fruits and vegetables we love to eat. Flies pollinate pears, strawberries, and even cacao, the nut used to make chocolate. Flies work hard for us-and they do it for free! Native Pollinators: Flies is a...

Did you know that archaeologists discovered two trumpets in King Tut's tomb in Egypt? That makes the trumpet one of the oldest instruments in the world. Trumpets thrill us with strong clear notes. This title is richly illustrated with large photographs, maps, and a STEM activity that provides simple instructions to help children make their own instrument. Trumpets is a reading journey that inspires and stimulates learning exploration.

The first car with a gas engine had only three wheels. What were early cars like and who made them? Find out about the first electric car, the first car race, Henry Fords Model T, and more.

This book relays the factual details of the Great Depression in the United States during the 1930s. The narrative provides multiple accounts of the event, and readers learn details through the point of view of a government worker, a Civilian Conservation Corps worker, and a young daughter of an unemployed banker. The text offers opportunities to compare and contrast various perspectives in the text while gathering and analyzing information about a...

Learn about types of minerals, how they form, where they are found, and how we use them every day. Additional features to aid comprehension include fact-filled captions and sidebars, detailed photographs, infographics or informational diagrams, a table of contents, a phonetic glossary, sources for further research, and an introduction to the author. Infographics Informative sidebars Sources for further research Suggested websites Table of contents...