The Great Pyramids of Egypt-all kids over the age of five recognize them instantly. These massive tombs were built thousands of years ago, and still no one knows exactly how the ancient Egyptians did it! In this informative account, Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler tell the story of the powerful pharaohs who commissioned the pyramids at Giza and offer a fascinating look at the culture of the afterlife in ancient Egypt, explaining exactly how mummies were...

Details the history of the national monument, from the geological origins of the Black Hills to the carving by Gutzon Borglum. "It was world-famous sculptor Gutzon Borglum's dream to carve sixty-foot-high likenesses of four presidents on a granite cliff in South Dakota. Does that sound like a wacky idea? Many at the time thought so. Borglum faced a lot of opposition and problems at every turn; the blasting and carving carried out through the years...

Introduces the Empire State Building, the third tallest structure in New York City, describing the construction process, the rise of skyscrapers in the United States, and the effect the building continues to have today.

Through the story of the Great Wall of China, from the start of its construction over two thousand years ago to being a World Heritage site today, retells the history of China, including its dynasties, culture, and Communist government. More than two thousand years ago, with his land under constant attack from nomads, the First Emperor of China came up with a simple solution: build a wall to keep out enemies. It was a wall that kept growing and growing....

"Escape from the ordinary and break into Alcatraz, America's most famous prison! The island of Alcatraz has always been a place that's fascinated visitors, from the Native American tribes who believed it was home to evil spirits to the Spanish explorers who discovered the island. In modern times, it was a federal prison for only 29 years, but now draws over a million visitors each year. Learn the history of America's most famous prison, from its initial...

"Without risking life or limb, readers can explore the wonders and beauty of the Amazon in this Where Is...? title. Human beings have inhabited the banks of the Amazon River since 13,000 BC and yet they make up just a small percentage of the 'population'of this geographic wonderland. The Amazon River basin teems with life--animal and plant alike. It's a rainforest that is home to an estimated 390 billion individual trees, 2.5 million species of insects,...

Describes the history of the Great Barrier Reef, including how it was discovered, the creatures that call the reef home, and what is being done to protect it.

Introduces the Galapagos Islands, a chain of volcanic islands located in the Pacific Ocean, and the strange and unique animals that live there.

Describes the construction and history of the Colosseum, the largest oval amphitheater in the center of Rome, Italy.

The most famous river in America runs like a spine between the eastern and western parts of the country, flowing through ten states before it empties into the Gulf of Mexico. The mighty Miss also flows through the history of America, giving rise to great stories about the people who lived on it and used it as a watery highway, from Native Americans and European explorers to skillful riverboat captains and colorful gamblers traveling on luxurious steamboats....

Describes the isolated Nevada air base known as Area 51, covering its use for testing top-secret aircraft, and discusses speculation about a connection to unidentified flying objects.

"Readers will want to grab a telescope and explore the night skies after finishing this overview of our solar system. Our solar system consists of eight planets, as well as numerous moons, comets, asteroids, and meteoroids. For thousands of years, humans believed that Earth was at the center of the Universe, but all of that changed in the 17th century. Astronomers like Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo Galilei, Johannes Kepler, and Isaac Newton proposed...

"The Tower of London holds almost a thousand years' worth of secrets! The Tower of London draws more than 2 million visitors a year! Almost 1,000 years old and first built by William the Conqueror in 1066, the tower has been a fortress, a palace, a zoo, and an exhibit site for the amazing Crown Jewels. But the tower's reputation as a prison is probably what accounts for its popularity! Two young princes in the time of King Richard III were never again...

Antarctica, the earth's southernmost continent, was virtually untouched by humans until the 19th century. This [book] introduces readers to the world's coldest, driest, and windiest continent.

Get the inside story on the famous fortress in the heart of Moscow that has withstood fires, invaders, and revolutions for almost seven hundred years. Lined by nineteen beautiful towers, the high walls of the Kremlin enclose colorful domed cathedrals, treasure-filled museums, and the Russian capitol. But this Moscow fortress has had its share of dark days. Follow along with author Deborah Hopkinson as she recounts the tales of spying, murder, missing...