Many people remember Neil Armstrong as the first man to walk on the moon. But he was much more than that. He was a Naval Officer, an aerospace engineer, a test pilot, and even a university professor.For 17 years he was an engineer, test pilot, astronaut and administrator. He tested and flew over 200 different models of aircraft. These included planes, jets, gliders, helicopters, and rockets. Of course his best known rocket flight was to the moon in Apollo 11.Armstrong was a h...

Vincent Van Gogh was a painter who created hundreds of paintings and thousands of sketches throughout his life. Best known for his sunflower paintings, and for having cut off his ear, Van Gogh suffered from depression most of his life. This was probably made worse by his poor eating habits and his addiction to alcohol. Added to this was his addiction to overworking himself and bouts of insomnia.Van Gogh had a hard time keeping a job, and his family considered him a failure, having l...

"Good-bye, mom. Have a safe trip."Molly hugged her daughter one last time."Give my best to Larry," her daughter added. "Tell my brother I love him.""I will," she answered. "I'm sure he will be fine."Just then a huge whistle blew. Molly quickly kissed her daughter again, and then headed onto the ship.It was a huge ship. It was called the Titanic. It sat at the dock In London, ready to go to America.Find out how Molly saves a bunch of people from th...

In 1809, Simon-Rene and Monique Braille lived in a small town in France. The town of Coupvray was 25 miles (40 km) outside Paris.Life was good for the family. Simon worked as a harness maker and leatherer. He made many items out of leather, including harnesses and saddles for horses, leather slippers and shoes, and leather satchels. Simon was well known in the town, and his work supported his wife and three children, two girls and a boy.On January 4, 1809, the new year brough...

Named Pacifica (peaceful) by Spanish Explorers, the Pacific Ocean is anything but peaceful. It is home to 75% of the world's volcanoes, numerous dying islands, and the holder of more than 1/10th of the world's carbon dioxide. It is the largest ocean on Earth.Do you know:What is the average depth of the Pacific Ocean?How much of the Earth does the Pacific Ocean cover?What is "the itch"?How does the Pacific Ocean absorb carbon dioxide?What thing in t...

"Dem Bones, dem bones, dem dry bones."You've heard the song. But what really are bones? Are they living things? Or are they just piles of stuff that got hard?The quick easy answers are: Things in your body, yes, and yes.Bones are the levers in your body. They attach to your muscles so you can move. They also give your body shape.Find out more about your bones, how they are built, and how they work in this short 15-minute book.Ages 8 and up. All measureme...

In 1809, Simon-Rene and Monique Braille lived in a small town in France. The town of Coupvray was 25 miles (40 km) outside Paris.Life was good for the family. Simon worked as a harness maker and leatherer. He made many items out of leather, including harnesses and saddles for horses, leather slippers and shoes, and leather satchels. Simon was well known in the town, and his work supported his wife and three children, two girls and a boy.On January 4, 1809, the new year brough...

Clara Barton was eleven. It was a great time in her life. Most of her family was moving!Clara, her father and her mother had moved to a new home three years ago.Now her older brothers and sisters were moving. They were coming to the same valley. They would all be together again.Clara loved her brothers and sisters. And they loved her. She was the baby of the family.Clara's mother and father had had four children. There were two boys and two girls.Then the...

Chief Joseph was the name given to the leader of the Nez Perce Indians by the white men who couldn't pronounce Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekht (Thunder Rolling in the Mountains).Inheriting the leadership of the Wallowa Band from his father Tuekakas in 1871, Joseph led his people in the Nez Perce war of 1877, the first and only war between the Nez Perce and the whites.Find out about the life of this man who led the Nez Perce on their epic run for freedom in this 15-minute biography...

One of the most famous pirates to sail the seas, was Mary Reed, a female pirate! Some people spell her last name Read, but since Mary couldn't read or write, it made no difference to her.Mary was born into a sailing family. Her father was captain of an English trading vessel. Her mother was an uncommon woman. She had sailed with her husband. Mary had an older brother, but he died before Mary was born.Find out about the life of this girl who was raised as a boy, and who grew ...

Jane Addams dropped into a chair. She was so tired that she could not move. Her best friend Ellen Starr fell into the chair beside her.The two women had spent the whole day cleaning the house. It was a huge house. It had many rooms and lots of space, but it was old and run down. There were no fancy gardens outside. The land had been sold little by little. Now there was nothing but factories and run down houses around it.Soon the two women were joined by a third. Mary Keyser h...

It was 1856. Abbie, her mother and her sisters were eating dinner.Suddenly the kitchen became very dark. The wind rattled the windows. The shutters slammed against the lighthouse.Abbie ran to the window. The sky was dark."Is it a storm?" Abbie's mother asked? She was very scared."Yes," Abbie answered."Your father will be caught in the storm," her mother screamed. "His boat will turn over. He will drown!"Abbie put her arm around her mother. "He has ...