How does a caterpillar turn into a beautiful butterfly—and how much must it eat before it changes? What is a chrysalis? How does a new butterfly break out of its cocoon? Is it true that butterflies can taste with their feet? Budding scientists will delight in following this favorite creatures lifecycle and discovering the role it plays in nature.

What exactly is a volcano? Can it really destroy an entire city? And how hot is lava? Kids will learn all about this force of nature, from where to find the ring of fire to whether volcanoes exist on other planets.

Why is there life on earth? How did Saturn get its rings? Which planet is biggest, which one's hottest—and which has a cloud named Scooter? Take a trip into outer space to learn about the asteroid belt, Martian volcanoes, dwarf planets, and other fascinating facts about our universe.

Why was the Titanic so huge? Did all the passengers really eat off gold plates? How could an iceberg just appear out of nowhere? Here are the answers to all these and other “must-know” questions about the building, launch, and tragic sinking of the most famous ship of all time. This trivia-rich look back on that fateful night includes gripping, true information that will entice young readers—even if they don't have to write a book report!

Who fired the first shots in the American Civil War? Where were the fiercest battles fought? How did Lincoln free millions of slaves with one document? Acclaimed author Martin Sandler answers all these and other “must-know” questions about the war that pitted brother against brother and tore the United States apart.

Why were schools, drinking fountains, and movie theatres segregated by race? Why did more than 250,000 people march in Washington, DC in 1963? What was Martin Luther King, Jr.'s big dream—and has it come true? All of these and other “must-know” questions about the civil rights hero are answered in this engaging new book.

What was the Underground Railroad—and who traveled on it? Who was Harriet Tubman and what did she do? This gripping book tells kids all about the perilous journey to escape slavery and finally become free: how long it could take, where the fugitives hid, who helped them, how “stationmasters” sent secret messages, and other fascinating details of the legendary Underground Railroad.

Who was Susan B. Anthony—what did she stand for, why was she arrested, and how did she fight for women's right to vote? And did she ever see her dream of woman's suffrage come true? From the first women's rights convention at Seneca Falls, New York, to the enactment of the 19th Amendment, this lively chronicle introduces Anthony and the American suffragist movement.