Showing results by author "Pierce Jumper" in All Categories

All aboard! The Story of Railroads: How Trains Connected the World – A Guide for Curious Kids is a warm and engaging journey through the history of trains, written especially for young readers ages 6–8. With simple prose, friendly explanations, and gentle black-and-white sketches, this book brings to life the incredible story of how trains changed the world. From the earliest wooden mine carts to today’s sleek high-speed trains, children will discover how railroads helped people explore new places, share ideas, and stay connected across long distances. Perfect for early readers, ...

Electricity is the foundation of modern civilization—but the way we generate and manage that electricity is changing faster than at any point in history. Renewable Energy: The Science and Systems That Will Power the Future is a clear, detailed, and politically neutral exploration of how modern renewable energy actually works. Written for teens and general STEM readers ages 13–19, this book explains the real science behind solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, biomass, batteries, transmission grids, electric transportation, industrial electrification, and long-duration storage. It shows ...

What is money — and where did it come from? Before dollars and coins, people traded goats, salt, and seashells. On one island, giant stone wheels counted as money. In China, paper money appeared a thousand years before Europe. In Rome, soldiers were paid in salt. And today, we can buy a sandwich just by tapping a phone. The History of Money: The Story of Cows, Coins, Credit Cards and Crypto for Curious Kids takes readers ages 6–8 on a fascinating journey through time, from ancient barter to modern banking, from pirate treasure to Bitcoin. With kid-friendly prose, surprising stories, and...

For as long as humans have walked the earth, we’ve built places to call home. But housing is more than shelter — it’s a reflection of our creativity, technology, and determination. In Bricks, Blueprints, and Builders: The History of Housing and the Tools, Ideas, and People Who Built Them, travel through time to uncover the fascinating evolution of human shelter. From primitive lean-tos and mud huts to medieval timber-framed houses, industrial-era row homes, and modern smart cities, this book reveals how homes have shaped — and been shaped by — civilization itself. Inside, you’ll...

The epic story of the tiny device that changed the world. Imagine a time when math meant hours of pencil-scribbling or clunky gears grinding away in giant machines. Today, a simple calculator app can solve complex equations in seconds—but how did we get here? In Pocket Power: The Story of the Electronic Calculator – How a Tiny Device Changed the Way We Think, Work, and Play, author Kevin Shelton takes readers on a thrilling journey through history, science, and innovation. Travel back to ancient China to see how the abacus revolutionized early counting. Meet visionary inventors like ...

The untold story of the woman who gave the world a weapon against one of its deadliest diseases. At the dawn of the 20th century, tuberculosis — known as “consumption” — was a relentless killer, claiming one out of every seven lives worldwide. Sanatoriums overflowed, families lived in fear, and early detection was little more than guesswork. Amid this crisis, a determined young scientist named Florence Seibert set out to change history. Crippled by childhood polio and dismissed by a male-dominated scientific establishment, Florence faced staggering obstacles. Through years of ...

Refrigerated Trucks: How Mobile Cooling Changed the World The Invention, Science, and Global Impact of the Chilled Supply Chain How did supermarkets become able to offer fresh produce in every season? How do hospitals receive vaccines and blood products that must remain within narrow temperature ranges? And how do farms, warehouses, and grocery stores stay linked together across thousands of miles? The answer is the refrigerated truck. This book explains the development of the mobile cold chain, beginning with ice harvesting and refrigerated railcars and continuing through the invention of ...

BioPlastics: The Past, The Science and The Future What do seaweed wrappers, mushroom foam, and compostable forks have in common? They’re all part of a growing movement to rethink plastic—and the future of the materials we use every day. In Bioplastics Unwrapped, discover the fascinating history of plastic, the science behind biodegradable alternatives, and the exciting innovations happening in labs, oceans, and backyards around the world. With clear explanations, real-world case studies, and reflection questions built into every chapter, this book helps young people understand both the ...

Power Unleashed: The Story of Nuclear Energy From Atom-Splitting to Clean Energy Futures Nuclear energy is powerful, controversial—and often misunderstood. In Power Unleashed, science and history come together in an engaging, highly readable journey through one of the most important technologies of the modern world. From the first experiments that cracked the atom to the heated debates about today’s energy future, this book explains what nuclear energy is, how it works, where it came from—and where it might take us. Written for curious readers with no scientific background, this ...

From wheels to rockets—discover the epic human story of chasing speed. Speed has always fascinated us. Ancient chariots raced through arenas, steam engines shrank continents, airplanes conquered the skies, and rockets carried us beyond Earth itself. But behind every leap was a mix of bold ideas, daring experiments, and ingenious engineering. In The Chase for Speed: The Science, Engineering, and History of Going Faster, you’ll explore: How the wheel and chariots created the first “fast machines” The Industrial Revolution’s steam engines and railroads The rise of automobiles, ...

From Satellites to Side Streets: How GPS Transformed the World and Changed the World What began as a Cold War military project is now the invisible force powering your smartphone, your car, your farm equipment—and even your bank account. From Satellites to Side Streets tells the remarkable story of how the Global Positioning System (GPS) evolved from a secret Pentagon initiative into a global utility woven into every aspect of modern life. In this engaging and deeply researched book, author Kevin Shelton explores the origins, engineering, and astonishing reach of GPS. From battlefield ...

Discover the fascinating story of how humans — and nature — learned to light up the dark. From ancient campfires to glowing jellyfish, from radium-painted watches to high-tech LEDs, light has transformed our nights and shaped our world. Glow and Shine: The Science and History Behind Creating Light takes readers on an illuminating journey across centuries, cultures, and technologies to uncover the many ways we’ve learned to make the dark sparkle. Inside you’ll find: The surprising role of alchemists and accidental discoveries in the history of glow. How neon signs, blacklights, and ...

Discover the inventions you didn’t know you couldn’t live without. Brilliantly Overlooked: The Hidden Tech That Changed Our World takes you on a journey through seven unsung innovations that quietly shaped modern life—from the rotary washing machine and the Thermos flask to fuel cells, gas turbines, and the zipper. Each chapter brings to life the story behind a seemingly simple invention: who made it, how it works, and why it matters far more than it gets credit for. With vivid storytelling, accessible science, and historical depth, this book makes engineering and design come alive ...

From Galileo’s humble spyglass to spaceborne observatories that glimpse the edge of time, this is the epic story of how humanity learned to see the universe. For over 400 years, the telescope has reshaped not just astronomy, but our very understanding of our place in the cosmos. Lenses, Light, and the Infinite Night traces the sweeping, often surprising history of this revolutionary instrument—from the dim candlelit workshops of the Renaissance to the golden mirrors of James Webb and the continent-spanning radio eyes that captured a black hole. Told with rich detail and poetic clarity, ...

What would happen if you could suddenly see the invisible? Inside every drop of water, every breath of air, and every leaf on every tree is a hidden world too small for human eyes to see—until the microscope made it visible. Little Lenses, Big Discoveries is a beautifully written science adventure that introduces kids ages 6–10 to the amazing story of how microscopes work, how they were invented, and how they changed the way humans understand life itself. Through gentle, story-driven chapters, young readers will: Discover how glass and light work together to magnify tiny worlds Learn ...

How does the eye work? Why do some people need glasses? And how did humans learn to bend light to fix blurry vision? Seeing Clearly: The Science and History of Vision and Glasses for Curious Kids is a beautifully written, story-driven science and history book for readers ages 8–10. Through warm, engaging prose, children explore the incredible journey of sight—from ancient squinting by firelight to modern glasses, contact lenses, lasers, and smart vision technology. Inside this book, young readers will discover: How light travels and creates the pictures we see The tiny parts of the eye ...

How does the Sun make electricity? Can wind really power a city? What kind of energy comes from inside the Earth? In The Story of Clean Energy: How Sun, Wind, Water, and Heat Can Power Our World — A Guide for Curious Kids, children ages 6–9 take a fascinating, friendly journey through the science of clean power. Written in clear, gentle prose, this book explains how renewable energy works, where it comes from, and how it helps protect our planet—without overwhelming young readers. Kids will explore: • Solar, wind, water, geothermal, biomass, and nuclear energy • How electricity ...

A big story about a simple material—told for curious kids ages 6–8! Have you ever wondered how sidewalks stay so smooth, how bridges stretch across rivers, or how tall buildings stand so strong? They all share the same secret helper: concrete. And behind concrete is another amazing invention: cement. In this fun, friendly, easy-to-understand nonfiction book, young readers will explore: How cement is made from ancient stone How it transforms into concrete—the man-made rock The amazing discoveries of Egyptians, Romans, and inventors like John Smeaton and Joseph Aspdin How concrete built...

What happens to our trash after we throw it away? Most of us never see where it goes — yet the systems that handle waste are some of the most important inventions in human history. The Mountains We Make takes readers on a clear and engaging journey through the story of waste and landfill engineering — from ancient refuse piles to today’s massive, carefully designed disposal systems. Written for curious teens and young adults (and adults who love real-world history), this book explains how trash has shaped cities, technology, and everyday life. Inside, readers will discover: How ...

What if one of the most important inventions in modern history was something we barely notice? We hurry beneath them. We wait beside them. We watch them change without thinking. Yet traffic lights shape our cities, our commutes, our neighborhoods, and the way we share space with strangers. In Red, Yellow, Green: How Traffic Lights Tamed the Streets and Shaped Modern Cities, we step into the surprisingly dramatic story of how these three glowing colors came to govern the movement of the world. Before traffic lights, city streets were unruly and unpredictable. Horses, streetcars, pedestrians,...