Book Description

Why is it important tochew your food?

Can you guess how long it takes for food to travel through your body?

Could you possibly have twenty feet of small intestines?

Where does that bad-smelling gas come from?

Your digestive system is out of sight and out of mind -- until things don't go right. Then you may wonder how these important organs work!

You'll find the answers in Seymour Simon's smooth, well-organized, and fascinating introduction to the digestive system. He explains how it works twenty-four hours a day, turning pizza, sandwiches, milk, and other food into energy and nutrients and waste. Striking photographs on every spread show how major organs including the stomach and intestines move food through your body, and how, eventually, waste is eliminated.

Guts takes the mystery out of something that happens to everyone, every day, while at the same time sharing a sense of wonder about the human body.

Book Description

This close-up look at the center of our solar system is "simple, clear, and direct."--Horn Book. "Handsome and informative, a must for the science shelf....Impressive, large color photographs."--Booklist. ... Read more

Book Description

Volcanoes don't always look like mountains; they aren't always full of fire. Some are holes in the ground; some form under the sea. And despite their reputation for destruction, volcanoes produce new mountains, new islands, and new soil. Visit some of the world's most remarkable volcanoes along with one of the most outstanding science writers in children's books. It's an extraordinary--and unforgettable--trip.

Book Description

Our Solar System was born almost 5 billion years ago at the edge of the Milky Way galaxy. In over fifty dramatic, full-color photographs and an easy-to-read text, award-winning author Seymour Simon takes you on a fascinating tour of the nine planets, dozens of moons, and thousands of asteroids, meteoroids, and comets that travel around our sun.

First, Simon explores the star at the center of our Solar System -- from the constant nuclear explosions at its core to the giant storms on its surface as geysers of flaming gas over a hundred thousand miles long rise and fall in just a few hours.

You will also learn about the four rocky inner planets, from airless Mercury to fiery Venus, her sister planet, Earth, and mysterious Mars. Then join the thrilling Voyager missions to explore the four gaseous outer planets: gigantic Jupiter, ringed Saturn, tilted Uranus -- the planet "lying on its side" -- and windy Neptune. You will finish your journey at distant Pluto, then visit the asteroid belt and examine comets, the "dirty snowballs" in space.

A companion volume to Simon's landmark series of individual books about each of the planets, the sun, stars, and other space sights, Our Solar System will introduce you to some of the most amazing mysteries in the universe.

Reviews (4)

Excellent overview for children
I bought this book for my seven year old son, in the hope that he would work his way into it over time (recommended age is from 9). He is able to read quite a lot of the text at this stage, with a bit of help. This is great for his reading practice.

Most importantly it is a book he wants to read. The photographs are excellent, and there is more than enough information for him at this stage in development. It is a perfect "Show and Tell" item to bring into the class, with the added bonus that it has a hard binding.

His five year old sister is also very taken with the drawings of the solar system and the planets and moons. It is a book guaranteed to attract the interest of any child.

Our Solar System
I have never written a review for a book, but this book has inspired me to do so.

The photographs in the book are large and stunning. They are spectacular. Children are drawn to the book because it is so beautiful.

We bought this book for our 2 1/2 year old for Christmas, along with a set of plastic planets. Within weeks, she could name every planet. Further, she could tell us which planets are bigger than earth, which planets are smaller than earth, which planets have rings (and how many rings each of those planets has), how many moons each planet has (and which planets have no moons), why Mercury's surface has so many craters, which planets are hot, which planets are cold, etc., etc.

In short, this book is beautiful and informative. It is very well done! It is a fantastic introduction to our solar system. We are looking forward to reading more books by Seymour Simon!!!!!!!

Out of this world!
Simon explores space using fantastic photos from real spacecraft and satellites. My two-year-old son received this book for Christmas and we read it to him nearly every night before bed. He is fascinated with the photographs, and as a result of his attachment to this book he can name every planet and many of the satellites that surround them. It is amazing! He loves space now because of this book. Kudos, Simon!

Beautiful book loaded with information.
We used this beautiful book as the basis for a two-week unit study on the Solar System. Wonderful photos and easy-to-read text make this an excellent choice for your 3rd - 6th grade student. ... Read more

Book Description

‘Whales in their natural habitat are lavishly illustrated in this introduction to their physical characteristics and biology.The photographs are lush, the text is succinct, and the oversized format sets off the large scale of these magnificent creatures.[With] a flowing text perfectly accented by the photographs . . . a beautiful and factual addition for all collections.’ —SLJ.

Best Illustrated Children's Books of 1989 (NYT)
Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children 1989 (NSTA/CBC) ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Very Good Information About Whales
I really like this book because it has a whole lot of information.I like to collect information animal books.That's why I chose this book.Also, I want to become a scientist that studies animals because I'm always studying animals.That's why I like this book.I don't think without knowing what animals do, eat, and how you can take good care of one if they are sick.

My 4thgraders enjoyed the various facts on whales
Great ideas cool facts we read this orallly in class the facts are easy to remember and summarize

you have super pictures ... Read more

Book Description

The brain is the control center for everything from memories to movement, eyesight to emotions. This incredible computer processes messages from billions of microscopic cells called neurons, which link up to form nerves. Covering every inch of the body, nerves can carry messages from your fingertip to your brain and back at speeds of up to four hundred feet per second. With stunning full-color photographs and a fascinating text, award-winning author Seymour Simon continues his fantastic journey through the human body. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Brain : Our Nervous System.
Excellent health/well being book with a great step by step introduction to the brain, its parts, how it works and the memory. The pictures are the best part. Contains excellent color illustrations and will be of interest to students from the 4th grade through the 9th grade. It's also a recommended read for the teachers. ... Read more

Book Description

"In the trademark Simon style, carefully selected color photos, drawings, and a clear and informative text tell the story of Earth's mountains: their formation, relative sizes, ecology, and influence on weather....Simon may have done more than any other living author to help us understand and appreciate the beauty of our planet and our universe; ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great Book
Great book, containing quality photos. If you have interest in photography and nature scenes ( mountains ) buy this book. The hardcover have a lot of quality , a must buy !

Incredible Photos
This book is very very good, striking photos of mountains, very good quality paper and some dazling scenes. If you have interest in photography and in nature scenes ( mountains ) buy this book ! ... Read more

Book Description

Don't move a muscle--read all about them! Did you know that...

• Without muscles you couldn't blink--or even breathe!

• Nearly 700 muscles control your life.

• Big or small, a muscle is made up of just one cell.

• Exercise doesn't give you more muscles, but it strengthens the ones you have.

Discover how muscles make us move--and see what it really looks like under your skin.

Book Description

"The high-quality photos and the book's spacious, accessible design enhance and extend the clarity of his exposition."--Publishers Weekly. "This informational treasure will draw science enthusiasts and browsers alike."--Booklist. ... Read more

Book Description

The heart is an incredible pump. Weighing only about as much as one of your sneakers, a heart beats over two billion times in an average lifetime, pushing a river of blood that carries nutrients and axygen through sixty thousand miles of capillaries to every cell in the body. In stunning photos that will amaze you with their beauty, you can watch while blood cells defeat invading bacteria and see how tiny platelets form blood clots. This journey is as wonderful as any voyage to the stars. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Heart : Our Circulatory System.
Like "The Brain", this is a great book with a step by step tour into the heart, its location, the chambers, circulation, and different kinds of blood cells. The pictures are amazing and makes one want to read. An excellent scientific health/well being book with excellent color illustrations. I would recommend this book to teachers and students from the 3rd grade through the 10th grades.

An excellent book.
My son (7 years old) and I were both entranced by this book. Simon describes our circulatory system in detail, with concrete comparisons that children can easily relate to. He is systematic and complete, yet fascinating. The book also has beautiful, full-page, color illustrations, most of which are electron microscope photographs. A great book ... Read more

Book Description

Millions of bolts of lightning strike the earth every day. Each blazes a path up to five times hotter than the surface of the sun, yet the flash can be over in as little as a millionth of a second. Sizzling photographs highlight this striking introduction to one of the most powerful and mysterious forces of nature.

... Read more

Reviews (2)

Wonderful text and gorgeous illustrations!
By far the best illustrations of any book I've seen about lightning. It also contains two photos from Boston's Museum of Science's electricity show, which are interesting, and a special treat for those of us who have seen that wonderful show.

The content of the book is great and gives more detail about lightning than I've found in other children's books on this subject. An example is giving a list of all the different types of lightning and even revealing three new kinds of lightning discovered in 1995. Who knew? Three other books I read about lightning and storms failed to give the level of detail that Simon chose to include.

Simon tells us what to do if we are caught in a lightning storm but it is done in a careful way with statistics given such as the number of people hit by lightning who lived through is almost double the number who are hit and die as a result of it.

As usual Simon writes in a non-patronizing tone, which I appreciate. We really enjoyed this book. A must-read for learning about the weather!

STUNNING!
The full-color photos in this book are absolutely stunning. Lightning towering over a cityscape, hitting a tree, bursting from clouds, even right beside a twisting tornado! The text is large and easy to read. This book provides a wonderful overview of the phenomenon that is lightning, and is appropriate for readers of all ages. ... Read more

Book Description

Adam Anderson is no ordinary twelve-year-old. He's a whiz at science, which is why everybody calls him Einstein. He enjoys playing baseball and telling bad jokes. But more than anything, he loves to solve mysteries by using his broad knowledge of science.

Now you can match wits with Einstein as he unravels ten baffling mind-bogglers. His caseload includes all kinds of puzzlers -- from a far-out Frisbee, a hypnotized frog, and some 'crying rocks to an extraterrestrial from cyberspace and a creature beneath the ice. All the clues you need to solve the mysteries are in the stories, and each solution is based on well-known scientific principles.So pick up your magnifying glass, get ready for some fun-filled adventures and may the best scientist win! ... Read more

Book Description

Award winning author Seymour Simon continues his fantastic journey through the human body with this stunning new addition. In Bones, youngsters will discover the amazing facts about the two hundred and six bones that make up their skeletons, ranging from the smallest, most intricate bones in their feet and hands to the largest, strongest bones in their legs. Blending spectacular full-color photographs and clear, concise text, BONES offers an intriguing look at human body. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A teacher says...
As usual, Seymour Simon does some great work on showing children (and some teachers) the ins and outs of the human body. The easy to understand language and great photos make this a science teacher's must have! ... Read more

Book Description

Though the names may vary, these formidable, swirling storms are still the most devastating events in nature.

Seymour Simon makes vivid the power of hurricanes in his clear, approachable style. He describes the formation of hurricanes, the effects of heavy winds and rains, and the damage caused by flooding long after the storm has passed. Satellite images and dramatic full-color photographs add impact to stories about some infamous hurricanes, including Andrew, Camille, and Floyd. Seymour Simon also explains how forecasters rate and predict hurricanes -- and how best to prepare for them before they strike.

As in his other highly acclaimed books on natural disasters -- EARTHQUAKES, LIGHTNING, STORMS, TORNADOES, VOLCANOES,and WILDFIRES -- Seymour Simon introduces curious readers of all ages to one of the most awe-inspiring phenomena on earth.

Book Description

With winds that can reach speeds of three hundred miles an hour and funnel clouds that can measure a mile in diameter, tornadoes leave enormous damage in their wake.

Now award-winning author Seymour Simon examines these twisting columns of air and destruction. With the clear, concise style he is noted for, Simon explains how tornadoes are formed, why and when they are most likely to occur, how scientists classify and track them -- and what to do if one touches down. Spectacular full-color photographs show this powerful phenomenon in action.

Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children 2000--selected by Natn'l Science Tchrs Assoc. & Child. Bk Cncl.

Reviews (1)

Tornadoes
This book was very interesting. It is filled with lots of facts and great pictures. Seymore Simon is a great writer. If you want to learn about Tornadoes definitly pick up this book. It is a GREAT book. ... Read more

Book Description

Seymour Simon has written over 200 award-winning science books about animals, anatomy, astronomy, earth science, and vehicles!

• Six tiny muscles hold each eyeball steady in the sockets of your head.
• The ears contain the three smallest bones in the body: the hammer, anvil, and stirrup.
• In addition to hearing, ears help you to keep your balance.
• Without the brain, we wouldn’t be able to see or hear.

Reviews (1)

neat human body book
Science author Seymour Simon gives us a great education on the human eye and ear in his book titled Eyes and Ears. We learn neat facts about these body parts.The book features text on one page with a full color photos related to the text on the other side of the spread.First he tells all about the human eyes.Included in this section are neat optical illusions to try on your own.The hear section is next and tell us all about how the ear works and the parts of the ear.

The content of the book is written in a simplistic manner, but is loaded with facts and statistics about the ears and eyes.

The book is filled with lots of great information.It explains things about the eyes and ears in a clean and simple way that is easy for kids to understand. ... Read more

Book Description

Crocodiles and alligators have always been one of humankind's most feared predators. Around since the days of the dinosaurs, they are probably the source of myths about ferocious serpents and man-eating dragons. All tall tales aside, these reptiles remain fascinating creatures. Did you know that crocodiles and alligators eat their food without chewing? Or that they use the sun to regulate their body temperature? Renowned science writer Seymour Simon's accessible text, and full-color photos, provide a stellar introduction to these reptile wonders.

Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children 2000--selected by Natn'l Science Tchrs Assoc. & Child. Bk Cncl.

Reviews (1)

Cool
This is a neat book. If you like reptiles, then you will love this book. ... Read more

Book Description

People have followed Mercury's path through twilit skies since ancient times,but only since Mariner 10 flew by in 1974 have we begun to unravel themysteries of the sun's closest neighbor. Impressive NASA photographs willtake you to a cratered world where days hot enough to melt lead and nightsat 300 degrees below zero last for almost three months.

Book Description

How many stars do you think you can see on a clear, dark night? Can you see thousands, millions, billions?

Stars are huge balls of hot, glowing gases. Our sun is a star. It is just an ordinary star, not the biggest nor the brightest. But the sun is the star that is nearest to our planet Earth.

In a clear, easy-to-read text and over twenty spectacular, full-color photographs, noted science writer Seymour Simon describes many varieties of stars, from red giants to white dwarfs, from the enormous explosions known as supernovas to tiny, extremely dense neutron stars-a tiny drop of a neutron star would weigh a billion tons on Earth. You will also learn about such fascinating objects as nebulas, black holes, pulsars, and the incredible quasars, each of which gives off more than a hundred times the energy of all the stars in the Milky Way put together.

Stars will introduce young readers to some of the most amazing mysteries in the universe. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good childrens introduction to the stars.
I bought this for my seven year old.He is delighted with it, the book is clearly a hit.The text is perfect for him to practice his reading as he learns about the stars.

He is especially taken with stars he recognises, such as Betegeuse in Orion.And he was very impressed with the drawing of a planet being sucked into a black hole.That sparked a couple of days of discussion about what life would be like in black holes.Kids always love the gruesome stuff!

The photographs of nebulae are very beautiful.I have to admit though, I'll need an adult version to answer some of the questions I am being asked.

This book teaches you alot about stars.
The book teaches you many things about stars.some things it teaches you is about Galaxes, Globuler clusters and clusters. THis book was very intresting and I recomend people that like stars to read this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Did you know that...

• opossums give birth to fifty tiny babies at once?

• Baby elephants weight over 200 pounds at birth?

• a newborn giraffe is as tall as a person?

Learn everything you ever wanted to know about exotic, irresisible baby animals in this fascinating book -- filled with full-color photographs.

... Read more

Reviews (2)

NEWBORNS ARE IRRESISTIBLE
Newborn animals are irresistible, so is Wild Babies, a captivating photo essay by science writer Seymour Simon.

Youngsters meet infant creatures in their native habitats - a week old giraffe, all 150 wobbly pounds of him; downy feathered penguin chicks; dolphin calves cavorting in the sea as circling adult females protect them.

Who can resist baby animals?
Baby animals have a natural appeal to most children (and to many adults, too). Seymour Simon's "Wild Babies" is a good book for those interested in this topic. Directed towards younger readers, this book covers animal babies of many different species and geographic regions: kangaroos, emperor penguins, dolphins, alligators, giraffes, and more.

Each of the 13 species profiles consists of a two-page spread: a full-color, full page photograph on one page, with a simply written but informative text on the facing page. The book is full of memorable images: an elephant matriarch guarding her herd's babies, a polar bear cub and mother ambling across the arctic landscape, a baboon family engaged in a relaxing grooming session, and more. This is an outstanding book for the family library. ... Read more