Peter Mavrikis – författare

In 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas. Or did he? Look at all the facts and discover the fiction through primary sources, infographics and appropriately levelled text. Readers will learn the full story about Christopher Columbus’s famous voyage, including the controversies about whether he truly did 'discover' the Americas as well as the negative effects of colonialism on the original inhabitants.

In 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas. Or did he? Look at all the facts and discover the fiction through primary sources, infographics and appropriately levelled text. Readers will learn the full story about Christopher Columbus’s famous voyage, including the controversies about whether he truly did 'discover' the Americas as well as the negative effects of colonialism on the original inhabitants.

How do we know about prehistoric humans and dinosaurs who walked on Earth millions of years ago? Fossils give us knowledge about all these ancient stories that have been buried with time. What can we learn from fossils? Readers will be surprised as they find out from this colorful, easy introduction to science concepts.

New York is one of the world’s megacities, with almost 20 million people living in the wider metropolitan area. America’s most populous city has been described as the cultural, financial and media capital of the world. It is also a universally recognizable city, home of the Manhattan skyline, Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge and the headquarters of the United Nations. New York provides a pictorial exploration of the city’s five boroughs: Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island. The book introduces the reader to some classic architecture, such as the art deco Chrysler Building and Empire State Building; quirky neighborhoods, such as Greenwich Village, Chinatown, and Hell’s Kitchen; iconic landmarks, such as the Statue of Liberty and One World Trade Center; and great cultural centres, such as Broadway, the home of North American theatre; Times Square, the ‘Crossroads of the World’; and Madison Square Garden, an indoor sports and events arena. Presented in a pocket-sized landscape format and with captions explaining the story behind each photo, New York is a stunning collection of images that vividly brings to life the world’s greatest city.

From the Neolithic cave paintings in Wadi Sura – created long before it was a desert when the region was savannah grassland – to the Valley of the Kings to the rock-cut temples at Abu Simbel, and from the vast temple complexes at Karnak and Luxor to the funerary mask of Tutankhamun and, of course, to the pyramids and the Sphinx, Ancient Egypt is a hugely colourful guide to the surviving wonders of Egyptian antiquity. Today the exceptional beauty and scale of the antiquities is legendary, drawing millions of visitors to Egypt’s monuments each year.Arranged by region, the book takes the reader along the ancient settlements that were established on the banks of the River Nile. Through beautiful photographs and expert captions, the reader gains an understanding of how ancient Egypt developed its trade links and became such a powerful and wealthy force across North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean. Alongside the world-famous places, there are also fascinating, lesser-known entries, such as the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the bent pyramid at Dahshur and the Statue of Khaefre.Featuring monuments and obelisks, hieroglyphics and jewelry, funerary masks, tombs and mausoleums, mummies of cats and statues of falcon-headed gods, Ancient Egypt includes 160 outstanding photographs and captions.

When we hear the word ‘reef’ we most often think of tropical coral reefs and, indeed, those are the most diverse habitats with thousands of different species living on them. But reefs can also be found off the coast of Canada, Brazil and even further north. Off Canada’s coast there are both the Atlantic deep-water coral habitat and the Pacific rocky reef habitat. Reefs is a pictorial celebration of the hugely varied marine life on coral, rock and sand reefs all around the world. From the Great Barrier Reef off Queensland, Australia, to Mabul Island off Borneo, from east African coral reefs stretching from the Red Sea down to Madagascar to the Amazon Reef off Brazil, from the Mesoamerican Reef off Belize to Vancouver Island, the book explores how life on each reef is interdependent. The book also includes examples of how coral bleaching has killed off reefs. Arranged geographically by reef and illustrated with more than 200 colour photographs, each entry is completed with a caption explaining the magnificent natural world on display. From the gender-swapping clownfish to single-cell zooxanthellae, from coral polyps to purple starfish to harlequin shrimp and octopuses, the book is a feast of marine life.

Greek Gods & Myths Illustrated features classic figures from ancient mythology, from the famous Zeus and Aphrodite to lesser known examples such as Demeter and Hyperion. Including gods and goddesses throughout Ancient Greek history, the book tells the stories of each fabulous deity and shows how they lived in Greek civilization. Each character is featured on a single page or across a spread for better known examples. All the characters are presented with illustrations and background text telling their stories. Fully illustrated and featuring easy-to-read fact boxes, Greek Gods & Myths Illustrated is an entertaining and educational guide to some of the world’s most beloved characters and enduring stories. In Greek Gods & Myths Illustrated you can read about the stories of Theseus and the Minotaur; Jason and the Argonauts; Chimera, the three-headed monster; Hydra, the nine headed serpentine; Midas and his golden touch; Poseidon, god of the sea; Apollo, god of light; Aphrodite, goddess of beauty; and many more. The book tells the story of Greek mythology from its creation myths and gods to its tales of mortals. It is divided into chapters covering primordial Greek gods, the Olympian gods and the Titans. Beautifully produced in traditional Chinese binding with 130 illustrations and photographs, this book will fascinate anyone interested in the mythology discovering more about the most famous collection of deities in the world.

Did you know the deepest parts of the ocean are still largely unexplored? Courageous explorers risk their lives to go to these great ocean depths. Other explorers journey into deep volcanoes, caves, and mines. Who are they and why are they seeking a glimpse of the world deep below the earth's surface? Turn the pages to find out!

The amount of available oxygen at the highest place on Earth is just under 7%. Explorers risk their lives and test their lungs traveling to these great heights atop mountains. Who are these adventurers and why do they do it? Turn the pages to find out!