Whether children hear about volcanoes and earthquakes on television, learn about them at school, or live in vulnerable areas, they are amazed by ? and afraid of ? volcanoes and earthquakes. Kids want to know more about them, both to satisfy their curiosity and to ease their fears. This book explains everything about these natural disasters, from what happens just before a quake or eruption to how natural disasters help renew nature's landscape. Trivia-hungry readers will be amazed to learn that temperatures a few miles underground can reach 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit, or that 6,780 earthquakes hit Japan on one day in 1966. They will learn about how a farmer digging in his field found the ancient city of Pompeii.

In this wonderful introduction to nocturnal animals, kids will learn hundreds of facts about creatures of the night. Readers will find out that each kind of firefly has its own special signal, that cockroaches have been on Earth since the time of the dinosaurs, and that a litter of 14 baby opossums will fit easily in a soupspoon! The Bergers explain key science concepts and keep kids turning the pages by including the wacky side of science ? like the fact that a skunk can spray up to 12 feet or that a kiwi bird has an incredible sense of smell.

Do Stars Have Points?

by Gilda Berger and Melvin Berger

Published 31 December 1998

Kids are surrounded by images and stories of space exploration ? in movies, news reports, books, cartoons and games. As the Bergers say in their introduction, "Everything we hear and see about space makes us curious to know more." This book introduces the basics of space travel ? how a rocket works, how a satellite stays in orbit, and how a space station is built. It stretches the imagination by providing answers to questions like "Will people ever live in space cities?" and "Where would people live on Mars?"

From simple questions like "Where are tropical rain forests?" to complex ones like "What happens to plants, animals, and people as rain forests disappear?," this book delivers the answers kids want.
Q: Does it always rain in the rain forest?
A: Yes. You can count on some rain just about every afternoon in a tropical rain forest.
In this colorful introduction to tropical rain forests, kids will learn all about the animals, plants, and people that live together in this complex ecosystem. Readers will find out that the leaves of one rain forest tree can be 70 feet long, that hummingbirds fly like helicopters, and that the okapi has a 14-inch black tongue!

Hundreds of shark facts and dramatic underwater illustrations allow kids to dive into the deep-sea world of these fascinating predators. Readers will learn that all sharks have a sixth sense, see well in the dark, and lose as many as 20,000 teeth in a lifetime!


Provides answers to such questions about the weather as "What makes the weather?", "Does air have weight?", "How big are hailstones?", and "What is El Niño?"


This book is like sitting down with a dinosaur expert and asking all the questions you have about dinosaurs. Sections cover the world of dinosaurs, the triumph of dinosaurs, and the end of dinosaurs. Children will discover which dinosaurs were first, which is the heaviest, tallest, meanest, hungriest, and most peaceful. Dramatic, action-packed paintings bring the dinosaurs' world to life.

Provides answers to a variety of questions about tornadoes and hurricanes, including "Where do most tornadoes strike," and "How long do hurricanes last?"

This book introduces children to the ways of insects, an insect's process of growing up, and to the insects they might meet in their backyard. Children will find the answers to all kinds of questions from how insects breathe, see, and hear to what they eat and how they defend themselves. They will also find out how army ants got their name and what makes bees so busy!

In sections on the life of a whale, toothed whales, and baleen whales, the Bergers take children into the spectacular world of whales and dolphins. How long can whales stay under water? How do whales keep in touch? Can dolphins save humans? Which whales have the longest migration? Accompanied by engaging illustrations, answers to questions like these will amaze children.


Why Do Wolves Howl

by Melvin Berger and Gilda Berger

Published 1 February 2002