Showing results by author "Darcy Pattison" in All Categories

In 1915, British astronomer Arthur Stanley Eddington was fascinated with Einstein's new theory of general relativity. The theory talks about how forces push and pull objects in space. Einstein said that the sun's gravity could pull and bend light.

Brooke and her family are headed to the mountains for vacation. Brooke wants to snowboard, but she is scared. Her sister, Amy, isn't scared at all. Will Brooke be able to face her mountain fears?

Have you heard of Goldilocks? Of course, you have! She's the name-fame-dame. That long-strong, bold-gold hair has earned her an international reputation. And she knows it. Goldilocks thinks she can do anything she wants. Breaking and entering? No problem. Theft? No problem. Damaging property? No problem. Until the glitzy-see neighbors are tick-tock-talking. And they decide to take action.

Like Bill Nye, the Science Guy today, Chladni popularized science. But during his work as an entertainer, he struggled to find the time and finances do actual research. This story provides a glimpse at the life of Ernst Chladni, the Father of Acoustics. It's an amazing example of how scientists collaborate internationally. The story is based on Chladni's own description of the event.

When the family gathers for Grandma's birthday, they spend the day at the local K-9 Karnival. Cousins Dennis and Mellie get their faces painted, learn how to give a dog a bath, and march in a parade. At home, they write informative essays about the day. Two full mentor essays included. With the homework done, it's time for Grandma's birthday party!

Jake Rose's girlfriend, Em Tullis, has mysteriously disappeared, leaving only a one-word clue: "Phoke." His search takes him around the world to fabled Aberforth Hills in the North Sea, home of Earth's native aquatic people, the Mer, who are now known as Phoke. They've remained hidden for centuries, only emerging now in a desperate search for a cure to a Risonian water-borne illness. 

Jake Rose joins the courageous crew of the Eagle 10 as they streak across the galaxy to Rison, the other blue planet. Their goal is to find the umjaadi starfish, the host of an organism that is deadly to the Phoke, the water people of Earth. The mission is foolhardy because Rison will soon implode. The catastrophe is mere days away from a science-gone-wrong scenario. Forced to enter the Risonian society at its darkest hour, the team struggles against local politics and race against time to find the starfish.

A test-tube baby, 15-year-old Jake Rose is half human and half alien. After living with his mother on Rison for most of his life, he finally comes to Earth to live with his human father's grandparents on Bainbridge Island in Puget Sound. His mother, Dayexi Quad-de is Rison's ambassador to Earth. She's tasked with finding Risonians a new home on Earth in a peaceful manner. Jake accidentally discovers that Earth's elite ELLIS forces are tying to sabotage Mt. Rainier and make it explode so that they can blame it on the Risonian aliens.

Put scientists out in the field — where they observe and learn from their subjects — and exciting things happen. Join 14 American scientists as they watch sleeping hippos, avoid cactus thorns, hide snakes under their skirts, make jokes, and draw elephants, termites, or squids.

Teams of kids are baking, building, and decorating. The project guidelines are clear: The winning house must stand upright on its own and a gingerbread boy and girl must fit inside. Sounds easy? It would be except…cookies burn, the icing is too thin, the house caves-in, someone is eating the candy decorations, and — oh! — they forgot about the gingerbread boy and girl.

Kell discovers that his neighbor, Bree Hendricks, turns nine years old next month, and she wants a party with an alien theme. That should be simple as flying from star to star. But things aren’t that easy: Earthling’s ideas about aliens are totally wrong. Even worse, Principal Lynx is a UFO chaser and suspects aliens around every corner. Will the Aliens totally blow the Aliens Party? Will Principal Lynx capture Kell and his family and turn them over to the government?

For Kell, the Friends of Police Parade is a big deal, his first Earthling parade. With Bree’s help, he must figure out how to deal with City Hall, figure out fundraising and find super heroes and super heroines to march in the parade.

Solid wax is somehow changed into light and heat. But how? Travel back in time to December 28, 1848 in London, England to one of the most famous juvenile science Christmas lectures at the Royal Institution. British scientist Michael Faraday (1791-1867) encouraged kids to carefully observe a candle and to try to figure out how it burned. Known as one of the best science experimenters ever, Faraday’s passion was always to answer the basic questions of science: “What is the cause? Why does it occur?”

Early in August 1937, a news flash came: A sea monster had been spotted lurking off the shore of Nantucket Island. Historically, the Massachusetts island had served as port for whaling ships. Eyewitnesses swore this wasn’t a whale, but some new, fearsome creature. As eyewitness account piled up, newspaper stories of the sea monster spread quickly. Across the nation, people shivered in fear.

A romp with his best friend, a Bernese Mountain Dog named Clark Kent, inspires Dennis to write a narrative essay. Recently, Mom asked Dennis to put a leash on Clark Kent so they could take the dog to the veterinarian for shots. Clark gave them all a merry chase! There's lots of action to love here.

The vulture basks in the morning sun, the roadrunner kicks up a cloud of dust, the javelina wallows, and the bobcat gives her cub a licking with a rough tongue in Desert Baths. As the sun and moon travel across the sky, learn how 12 different desert animals face the difficulties of staying clean in a dry and parched land. Explore the desert habitat through its animals and their habits of hygiene. Told in lyrical prose, this story is a celebration of the desert lands of the American Southwest.

Cozy up for a rainy-day listen and explore the prairie ecosystem through its ever-changing weather. Each month features a storm typical of that season and a prairie animal who must shelter, hide, escape, or endure those storms. Told in lyrical prose, this story is a celebration of the grasslands that dominate the center of American lands and the animals that live there.

The Complete Aliens, Inc. Series includes Kell the Alien, Kell and the Horse Apple Parade, Kell and the Giants, and Kell and the Detectives.

The stage was set for a showdown: Man v. Machine. On March 9, 2016, the AlphaGo artificial intelligence computer program played the board game, GO, against the world champion, Lee Sedol. The exciting historic meeting of minds unfolded across five difficult games. This story introduces concepts of artificial intelligence and helps kids understand the challenges and the promise of working with AI.

Angel Persian, a kitten born into a famous KittyTube family, faces her biggest acting challenge yet. The clock is ticking! By the month's end, only 10 kittens will be offered acting contracts. In this final chapter book of The KittyTubers trilogy, Angel Persian searches for a home where she can use her talents. Listen to this heartwarming story about Angel Persian's search for her future.