National Network for Equitable Library Service

Under Egypt's wind-swept sands, mummies and breathtaking treasure await those savvy and daring enough to seek them out. Intrepid archaeologist Zahi Hawass is one such adventurer, having made major discoveries in the pyramids at Giza and the Valley of the Golden Mummies. From ancient germs and vipers to age-old curses and crumbling tombs, the dangers of his profession are real. But so too are the rewards.

Convinced that unnamed babies are not truly alive, King Tuthmosis I's wife Ahmose immediately names her newborn daughter Hatshepsut. This tiny girl will one day rise above her name and become not just "the foremost of women" but ruler of all Egypt. Growing up in pharaoh's palace, the young princess prepares for her future by learning the essentials of Egyptian religious, political, and social life. After 12-year-old Hatshepsut's father dies, she-following the royal custom-becomes queen by marrying King Tuthmosis II, the son of one of her father's lesser wives.

The story of America has always been shaped by people from all corners of the Earth who came in search of a better life and a brighter future. Immigration remains one of the critical topics in 21st century America, and how our children learn the lessons of the past will shape all our futures. The patriotic stories of hope that shape most immigration books are supplemented here by the lesser-known stories of those denied, detained, and deported.

There's a monster out there. It's huge, powerful, and it's been around forever. It can destroy a human being in hundreds of different ways. It's energy! Energy can make some very interesting things happen, and it's stored up all around us. It's in the tiny sea creatures that died hundreds of millions of years ago and eventually became oil. It's in the guillotine that slides down and chops your head off. And you'll need lots of energy if you plan to fire your teacher from a cannon.

Gazelle-gnawing lions! Chum-chomping sharks! Man-mashing elephants! The world is filled with angry animals. But which ones really pose a threat to humans? Whether it's the African plain, the Indian jungle, or the South Pacific Ocean, deadly animals can be found prowling about. Predators are natural to every environment-and only the quickest and cleverest prey can avoid becoming meals. So while a banana-munching monkey might escape the razor-sharp claws of a stalking tiger, a fat cow wading into a piranha-infested river is sure to become lunch.

The Terrible Truth about Time will get your ticker tocking! Don't wait another second to find answers to these questions. What happens if you go too close to a black hole? How do flies tell time? Why do the years zoom by more quickly as you get older? If you can stomach the bizarre side of science, then read on as Nick Arnold clocks up some terrible time secrets. Find out who was killed for changing the calendar. Make your own crazy clock. Meet the tortured time geniuses. And check out your chances of taking a time-travel trip.

Science doesn't have to be all about boring lab reports and tiresome test tube measurements'it can be fun, explosive, and really gross. Just think about the old alchemists who tried to turn urine into gold or the acids that can burn flesh right off the bone. Not to mention dangerous metal elements, fiery reactions, and gasses that could make anyone gag. But there are safer ways to experiment with the more horrible aspects of science, and all the necessary ingredients can be collected throughout your home- under proper parental supervision, of course.

Ever wonder what the real story is behind all those stars and planets in the sky? Could there really be alien invaders? Follow Oddblob the alien on his out of this world tour and you'll be an expert on everything galactic in no time. Oddblob will tell you why you can't be in outer space without a space suit (you'll explode!), why you definitely don't want to stay in the Neutron Star Hotel, and why you'd better bring both your sunscreen and your mittens if you plan on visiting Mercury. You'll learn everything strange and wacky about the galaxy we call home.

Repulsive regurgitations, icky intestines, boisterous bowels, loathsome livers, attacking acids-all of these are involved in the foul science of digestion. Can you stomach it? If not, keep a barf bucket handy! After eating your breakfast, lunch, dinner or midnight snack, you probably don't think much about that food until you visit the bathroom several hours later. But in the meantime, the edibles you gobbled up take an amazing journey-a trip through the fizzy digestive tract that's also really, really gross.

Spurred on by Sir Walter Raleigh, John White leads 120 men, women, and children across the treacherous Atlantic to colonize the wilds of Virginia. Landing at Roanoke Island in July of 1587-with hostile Indians afoot and little food for winter-the colonists persuade White to return to England for the supplies and help they need. After a terrifying ocean crossing, White finds every available British ship pressed into service against the looming threat of the Spanish Armada. When White finally returns to Virginia after three years, the colonists are nowhere to be found.