Roberta Baxter

Moths are fuzzier and fatter than their butterfly cousins. A lot of moths are brown and dull looking. Butterflies get songs and poems written about them. Hardly anyone swoons over moths. But moths deserve our respect and attention. Moths are pollinators, and many are native to America. While most insect pollinators work during the day, moths take the night shift. They visit flowers that bloom under the light of the moon. Moths play a vital role in...

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 archeologists found statues and carvings of an instrument like the guitar in Iran that date back 3,500-4,000 years? People around the world love to play and listen to the guitar. This title is richly illustrated with large photographs, maps, and a STEM activity that provides simple instructions to help children make their own instrument. Guitars 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...

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....

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....

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.

Across the globe, devastating disasters have changed the course of history. This title brings the challenger explosion to life with well-researched, clearly written informational text, primary sources with accompanying questions, charts, graphs, diagrams, timelines, and maps, multiple prompts, and more. Explore the tragedies and triumphs of this disaster, how it helped shape the world as we know it, and how what we've learned from it has made the...

Europe is a marvelous continent, made up of about fifty countries. But did you know that the smallest country in the world-Vatican City-is in Europe? Or that Europe is the only continent with no large deserts? Learn more about the diverse continent of Europe, from its people and countries to its landforms, economy, and more.