In his youth, Leonardo da Vinci wrote confidently, "I wish to work miracles." By the time of his death in 1519, when he was sixty-seven and famed throughout Europe, it seemed that he had accomplished wonders aplenty as an artist, engineer, inventor, and scientist. Here, from author Jay Williams, is the moving story of the man behind the Renaissance myth.

In the summer of 1588, a great body of ships sailed from Spain on a Crusade: to restore England to Catholicism. The ensuing events brought a Spanish word, armada, into the English language and created a host of legends. Intrepid English sea dogs in tiny ships, it was said, had bravely faced down towering Spanish galleons. Finally, a storm sent by a vengeful God wrecked most of that proud fleet on its way home. Award-winning author Jay Williams sheds new light on the traditional picture. Al...

Danny and his friend Joe Pearson discover the entrance to a cave in the woods near their home. Professor Bulfinch has just invented a portable x-ray machine, and the Professor, along with his geologist friend Dr. Tresselt, sees an opportunity to use the device inside the cave. The two adults, along with Danny, Joe, and Irene, enter the cave on an expedition. They make an astonishing discovery, but they encounter a significant problem which prevents them from leaving the cave...Dann...

Another accident in Professor Bulfinch's laboratory, brought on by Danny, results in the creation of a transparent, resilient material. The material proves useful in creating a bathysphere, and Professor Bulfinch, along with his friend Dr. Grimes, Danny, Joe, and Irene, descends into the Pacific Ocean on an experimental voyage. Unfortunately, the bathysphere's pilot is rendered unconscious, and the bathysphere becomes trapped in a cave... Can Danny and his friends escape?Danny Dunn...

"I challenge you to a duel of desert islands!" Dr. Grimes cries, when Professor Bulfinch accuses him of not being practical. Grimes plans to go ashore on an uninhabited desert island, and the Professor on another. After a month they will see who has survived the best!Danny and his best friend Joe soon get permission to join them, and the four take off in the scientists' plane. But when they crash-land in the ocean and are really marooned on an island off the coast of Peru -- the fo...

After a series of tragic events in Jay's life, she found the courage to trace back to the events that led to such despair. Abuse, lies, addiction, mental illness, and insecurities all played a significant part in her life's journey. After enduring overwhelming trials, she felt hopeless, as if her life was over. Gripped with despair, she decided to give up. Faced with death multiple times, she asked herself a question, “Why didn’t I die?” She answered , "I didn't die because my life would g...

Professor Bullfinch and Doctor Grimes take Danny and his friends to the beginning of the Nile River in Africa to investigate local legends of a swamp monster. Despite unforeseen calamities, a new, rare species of electric catfish is discovered.

Professor Bullfinch has created a machine for the government which will shrink objects and be used for spying. When Danny sneaks into the lab, he and his friends discover the machine and try to use it for a problem they have been dealing with at school.

Through a mishap in Professor Bulfinch's laboratory, Danny accidentally creates an anti-gravity paint. The natural use, of course, is for a spaceship -- the paint can replace rockets to get the ship into space. Unfortunately, the spaceship is launched prematurely after Danny and Joe follow Professor Bulfinch and Dr. Grimes on a tour of the ship. A mechanical failure dooms the four to a one-way trip out of the Solar System -- unless they can repair the spaceship in time!This is the ...

Danny uses a computer that Professor Bulfinch has created for NASA to prepare his homework, despite Professor Bullfinch's warning that Danny is to leave the machine alone. With his friend Joe Pearson and his new neighbor, Irene Miller, Danny has some success with the machine before it is sabotaged. Can Danny figure out what is wrong with the computer and fix it? And will their teacher learn what's really going on with homework?

Danny is soaring above Midston in a plane with his pilot friend when he catched sight of a man stranded in a field and helps rescue him. The man happens to be millionaire Gledway Pippit, who is interested in Professor Bullfinch's new heat ray -- but Danny and the Professor must prove to him that the invention can be useful.One afternoon, Danny's friend Irene is listening to her short-wave radio when she hears about a forest fire nearby. Danny realizes that the Professor and Mr. Pip...

The little party came through the air lock bearing a limp figure on an improvised litter. "Who was it this time?" Fenner asked. Gorsline pulled off the transparent hood that covered his head and face, and unzipped his suit. He dug his fingers wearily into his eyes. "Bodkin," he said. "Same as the others." He turned back to the group. "Get him right to the infirmary. Not that it'll do much good," he added, in an undertone, to Fenner. Fenner sighed, glancing at Bodkin on the litter. Behind t...