Lisa Idzikowski – författare

Deep snow. Fast-flowing water. Fallen buildings. Thick brush and trees. Search-and-rescue animals explore all these places and more to find people in need. In this fact-packed book, readers will follow the tracks of high energy search-and-rescue animals working hard to help. Readers will hit the trail with dogs who dig through debris and horses who pick up the scent. They''ll also take a glance at some high-tech search-and-rescue possibilities of the future. Amazing photographs, facts, and engaging text highlight the brave efforts of search-and-rescue animals.

Turn on the lights. Pick up the keys. Fetch the mail. Grab a drink from the fridge. What if chores like these could be done by specially trained animals? Like many people, service animals go to work every day. Readers will learn about the different types of service animals and the jobs they do. They''ll meet animals who brighten the lives of their owners by helping with tasks their humans can''t do themselves. They''ll also find out about how these animals go to school to learn their jobs. Engaging text, amazing facts, and exciting photographs show off service animals, the hard-working heroes of the animal world.

Most people know that lions raise their cubs together in prides, but what many may not know is that a pride''s nursery is called a crèche and young lions live there until they are about two years old. Children will travel to the plains of Africa and be introduced to wild lion cubs and how they live, grow, and develop. Through engaging text, fast facts, and adorable photographs, readers will learn about lion characteristics and behavior, family structure, and habitats. Information learned supports the Next Generation Science Standards on growth and development of organisms, biodiversity, and social interactions in animal groups.

Pandas are perhaps the most recognizable and most beloved of all the bears. Young readers will journey to the misty mountain forests of China and witness the birth, growth, and lives of wild panda cubs. Simple yet informative text, fast facts, and eye-catching photographs show readers where giant pandas live, what they eat, how they communicate, and how they survive in their habitat, supporting the Next Generation Science Standards on growth and development of organisms, biodiversity, and social interactions in animal groups. The Words to Know section in the beginning of the book helps students learn new vocabulary before encountering the terms in the text.

Both penguin parents feed and care for their chick. Each chick has a unique call its parents recognize. Readers will travel to Antarctica and discover the ways wild penguin chicks live, grow, and develop. Engaging text accompanied by vibrant photographs supports the Next Generation Science Standards on growth and development of organisms, biodiversity, and social interactions in animal groups by introducing students to the characteristics and behavior, family structure, and habitats of penguins. Fast Facts and a Learn More section with books and websites encourage readers to dive deeper into the subject matter.

A newborn blue whale can weight as much as a full-grown hippo, about 6,000 pounds! Students will journey into the deep sea and learn all the fascinating facts about the early life of the largest animal to have ever lived. Featuring easy-to-follow text and exciting photographs, this book introduces elementary students to life science concepts, from birth to searching for food and avoiding predators, supporting the Next Generation Science Standards on growth and development of organisms, biodiversity, and social interactions in animal groups. In addition, Fast Facts provide quick, interesting bits of information.

Taking off with a brief history lesson including the Wright Brothers'' famous first flight, this exciting resource engages readers with the feats of today''s aeronautical engineers, scientists, and researchers as they design, test, engineer, and build the flying machines of the present and the future. Readers will explore supersonic planes of the future that will fly faster than a speeding bullet, flying cars that can lift off and speed passengers to school or grandma''s house, and biofuels that will power the next generation of aircraft.

In the history of empires, few compare in influence to the Roman Empire. In the course of its 500-year history, the empire yielded advances in philosophy, governance, science, and the arts that are still relied upon today. Despite its long span and enduring legacy, however, the empire eventually succumbed to its Visigoth invaders. This enchanting narrative traces the history of ancient Rome, from its beginnings through its days as a republic and into the evolution and dissolution of its empire. Cultural achievements of the empire are placed in historical context, and a timeline conveniently summarizes key events for quick reference.

Ecuador may seem like a small country in South America, but despite its size, it is rich in culture and natural beauty. As readers explore the history, traditions, and tourism surrounding Ecuador, they will develop a deeper appreciation for other cultures. Exciting facts, informative sidebars, colorful photographs, and accessible language provide curious learners with an introduction to this Latin American country. With each turn of the page, readers encounter exciting descriptions of the food, celebrations, and people that make Ecuador such a vibrant country.

With this exciting guide, readers are able to explore the Kingdom of Denmark, one of the Nordic countries in Europe. Known as one of the happiest places on Earth, it has an interesting history spanning from before the time of the Vikings to the modern age. Readers discover key points about this incredible nation, such as what Danes do for fun, how they cherish family life, the foods they enjoy eating, their language, and their commitment to the environment. Colorful photographs, fun fact boxes, and sidebars accompany each lively chapter, taking the reader on a personal journey through this country.

Honor killings are acts of vengeance committed by male relatives against female relatives who have brought “dishonor” upon the family. This “dishonor” can include refusal to enter into an arranged marriage, being the victim of sexual assault, seeking a divorce, or having social or professional interactions outside the community. These crimes often go unpunished or lightly punished in cultures in which the practice is enshrined and are often reported as suicides or accidents. Honor killings occur worldwide, including among immigrant communities within Western democracies. The articles in this volume provide multiple perspectives on how best to prevent, prosecute, and punish such crimes, how to safeguard women’s safety and freedom, and how to balance tradition, religion, and community standards against the protection of universal human rights.

Fossil fuels are a valuable commodity at the forefront of national and international politics. Pipelines can create jobs and economic growth, not to mention delivering a commodity to people who need it. What happens when there is conflict about the land through which a pipeline travels? Such conflicts can lead to protests, stoppages, and even war. Readers of this comprehensive volume, which explores the topic from a multitude of angles, will learn how a simple pipeline can have enormous geopolitical ramifications.

The federal budget affects all of us, whether we know it or not. Monies spent by the government go into our education, our security, our military, and our bridges and roads. But who is accountable for the budget, and what happens if we don''t agree where the money is going? The expert viewpoints in this informative anthology examine where our tax dollars go, whether citizens have a say in spending, and what it means when the deficit just keeps growing.

As of 2017, 55 percent of American households included at least one pet. Pets are ubiquitous and often considered part of the family, but are they content in a domestic setting? Is there a way for us to tell if we are giving pets a suitable standard of living? Many factors must be considered when looking at the ethics of pet ownership, including what rights animals should possess, where the animals come from, and what species of animals should be kept as pets. Readers will gain a better understanding of the many ethical considerations surrounding pet ownership.

Engineers argue that inadequate maintenance of roads, bridges, airports, waterways, and other critical aspects of infrastructure along with underinvestment have created an infrastructure crisis in the United States. Many politicians agree with this claim and are attempting to take action. However, we are faced with the issue of which projects are most essential and how to fund them. Is the state of America''s infrastructure that dire compared to the rest of the world? Are these efforts to improve it a cynical ploy from politicians to gain attention and ensure reelection? This volume considers the many perspectives of this pressing issue.

Since 1989, there have been over 2,200 exonerations in the United States. These have resulted from a number of factors, including the discovery of new evidence, perjury, false identification, and bad forensic evidence. Even when an individual is exonerated, is it possible to compensate them for their loss of time and money? This volume looks at the issue from varying perspectives, exploring causes of wrongful convictions, ways to increase exonerations for those who were unjustly imprisoned, strategies to decrease the number of wrongful convictions going forward, and appropriate compensation for those who have lost years of their lives.

From campaigning for politicians, to speaking out on political issues, to running for public office, celebrities around the world have long played an active role in politics. Their presence in the public sphere often helps them make this leap, but is the fact that we recognize their names and faces enough to make them trustworthy political figures? The diverse viewpoints in this volume explore what role celebrities should play in politics, discuss the phenomenon of making the transition from celebrity to politician, and investigate the place of contemporary media culture in this pattern.

The international community has pledged to curtail development and use of chemical and biological weapons in several agreements, beginning with the 1925 Geneva Protocol, but several nations are not honoring these pacts. Critics argue that chemical and biological weapons are crueler than traditional warfare methods and that they harm innocent civilians. Some experts say that they are less of a threat when compared to nuclear weapons. The authors of the viewpoints in this informative resource examine the use and efficacy of chemical and biological weapons, address who is using them, and suggest ways to prevent their use.

Give your readers a comprehensive resource that will allow them to form intelligent opinions on a perennial, hot-button topic. Since the smallpox vaccine was invented in 1796, vaccination has played an essential role in eradicating a number of diseases, including polio, measles, tetanus, and smallpox. Despite its effectiveness at preventing disease outbreaks, vaccination has been met with resistance. It has on rare occasions caused patients to become injured or ill, encouraging some to deduce that they are not worth the risk. Questions about whether vaccines are linked to autism also abound. While universal vaccination would help to eliminate diseases, the question of whether it violates individual liberty merits consideration. The prospective future of vaccination is also discussed.

Biodiversity, the variety of life on Earth, is vital to the health of the planet. But overdevelopment and deforestation have threatened biodiversity, as have pollution, overfishing, and hunting and poaching. Conservation efforts must be intensified in order to avoid collapse of our valuable ecosystems. The viewpoints in this volume address the importance of biodiversity and what has contributed to its loss, examples of crises in different parts of the world, and what can be done to ensure the biodiversity of the planet is preserved.