Dorling Kindersley

Ever since Stone Age humans used slabs to create sound, man has invented an extraordinary variety of instruments in the pursuit of new ways of making music. Many of the instruments featured in this dazzling collection of specially commissioned pictures come from specialist museum collections; all are reproduced with such clarity of detail that they give new insight into the fascinating world of music and musicians Starting with an explanation of how sound is created, Music explores the three main categories of instruments: wind, string and percussion, showing how different instruments are played, and describing the types of sound they produce. Music reveals how many familiar instruments have evolved from curious-looking early designs, and shows how some modern instruments are made. It also explores the fascinating rituals and traditions that lie behind much of the world's music. — Here is an original and exciting look at the fascinating world of sound and music — Superb, real-life photographs of instruments, ranging from zithers and panpipes to electric guitars and syntesizers, offer a unique 'eyewitness' view of ancient and contempory music — See how strings vibrate to make a note sound; how an invisible 'column' of air sounds a pipe; which instrument resembles a peacock; how sousaphone players wear their instruments — Learn who invented an important new key system; how to master the bagpipes; why pipe organs have 'ears' and 'mouths'; why French horns are 'doubled up' — Discover how a vegetable gourd charms snakes; why tangled fingers led to the invention of the piano; why spiders add a 'buzz' to zylophones'; where reindeer toe-bones were used as whistles

Discover the fascinating world of the seashore — its strange and beautiful creatures and their secret lives This fascinating book reveals how the anatomy and behaviour of seashore animals and plants enable them to live in and out of salt water, and to survive being pounded by surf, buffeted by the wind, and dried by the sun.The seashore, stretching in a narrow ribbon around every portion of the world's land masses, is one of the most exciting and exacting of our planet's habitats. Twice each day the sea rises up the shore and then retreats, creating a demanding cycle of conditions for the plants and animals that live there. Their adaptations to this harsh world, their beauty and their complexity are revealed in this dazzling collection of specially commissioned photographs. Many of the animals featured are alive, while the fossil and mineral specimens come from specialist museum collections; all are reproduced with such clarity that you can almost feel their textures on the page. Produced in association with the Natural History Museum, London, and the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, Seashore is an exceptionally beautiful and informative visual guide to the strange and fascinating creatures that live between land and sea. — Here is an original and exciting new look at the fascinating natural world of the seashore — Stunning, real-life photographs of crabs, lobsters, rock pools, fish, seals, seabirds and more, offer a unique «eyewitness» view of life on the seashore — See a starfish on the move; how a sea-urchin disguises itself; a sea-anemone catch a prawn; the inhabitants of a rock pool; fish that change colour — Learn how a limpet grips the rock, how a crab grows a new leg; how a prawn becomes invisible; how seabirds catch fish; how a sea otter sleeps at sea — Discover how long seaweed can grow; why hermit crabs live in second-hand shells; which shells bore holes in solid rock; where a puffin lays its eggs

This superb collection of photographs brings to life the beauty, variety, and intricacy of birds' feathers, wings skeletons, beaks, nests, and eggs. In addition, unique time-lapse sequences show a chick hatching from its egg and how nestlings develop over their first few days of life. Starting with the evolution and anatomy of birds, and explaining how their bodies work, how they are built specially for flight, and how their beaks, wings, tails, feathers, and feet are designed for specific purposes, the book goes on to cover the food they eat, the way they camouflage themselves, the nests they build, and the eggs they lay. Produced in association with the Natural History Museum, London, Bird is a unique and compelling introduction to the secret life of birds. — Here is an exciting and informative guide to the fascinating world of bird life. — Superb colour photographs of feathers, wings, skeletons, eggs, nests, and newly-hatched chicks only days old, offer a unique «eyewitness» view of the natural history, behaviour, and life-cycle of birds. — See how new-born chicks hatch from eggs, how nestlings grow in their first few days, how birds camouflage themselves against predators, what birds eat and how they catch their prey — Learn how birds' bodies are designed for flight, why wings are different shapes and sizes, how birds evolved from their prehistoric ancestors, which are the world's biggest, smallest, slowest, and fastest birds — Discover how and where birds make their nests, why eggs are different colours, how many feathers birds have and what each one is for, how to watch birds and attract them to your garden

Features castles and knights, this photographic sticker book is one of a series which combines stickers with informative labels to stimulate children's interest in non-fiction subjects.

Elephants are magnificent creatures that have long intrigued people with their strength and intelligence. This book brings to life the story of their earliest origins on the plains of northern Africa more than 50 million years ago to the precarious future they face today. Starting with the life of a giant woolly mammoth, the book features elephant anatomy in close-up and explains the social structure of the herd, what happens when a bull elephant is in 'musth', and how females protect their young. Learn about the relationship between elephants and humans in India, where they are used for transport and haulage. Discover the cruelty of the ivory trade, and what you can do to help elephants from becoming extinct. Full of amazing facts and exceptional original photography, Elephant is a unique and absorbing introduction to the complex life of the world's largest living land mammal. — A spectacular and informative guide to the fascinating world of elephants — Superb colour photographs of Asian and African elephants, their living relatives, and reconstructions of their ancestors, offer a unique 'eyewitness' view of these remarkable animals, their natural history and relationship with people — See the adult 'tusker'; inside an elephant's mouth; a baby elephant suckling; an elephant in threatening posture; elephants at work; an elephant painting a picture — Learn how to tell an African from an Asian elephant; why elephants are worshipped; how long an elephant's tusks can grow; how elephants 'talk' to each other; why the future of elephants is threatened — Discover why elephants walk on their tiptoes; how much food an adult elephant eats in a day; the cruelty of the ivory trade; why elephants flap their ears; how intelligent elephants are; and much, much more

Discover life in the tropical rainforest — from exotic birds in the tree tops to millions of insects on the forest floor Jungles are noisy and colourful. They are also dark, impenetrable, and mysterious. This stunning collection of specially commissioned photographs brings their rich diversity of plants, animals, and insects vividly to life, from forest floor to lofty canopy. Starting with the different types of rainforest, including mangrove swamps, and lowland and cloud forests, the book takes the reader on a breathtaking journey through all the jungles of the world. Learn about jungle produce and explorers, and the medicines derived from rainforest plants. Sadly, vast tracts of jungle around the world have already been destroyed for commercial gain. This book opens our eyes to their ecological importance and whey they must be protected. Written by botanist Theresa Greenaway, Jungle is a unique and exciting introduction to an extraordinary and endangered environment. — A spectacular and informative guide to some of the most extraordinary habitats on Earth — Superb colour photographs offer a unique 'eyewitness' view of the remarkable and colourful plants, animals, and insects of the world's jungles — See the beautiful but poisonous passionflower; the rare golden lion tamarin; a Heckel chew stick from Nigeria; the red howler monkey howling at dawn; a kangaroo climbing a tree — Learn how paper wasps make their nest; how a siamang moves; how wax is taken from the wax palm; how geckos 'fly'; how pitcher plants trap insects — Discover what red lemurs eat; how poison is taken from a poison dart frog; why bowerbirds build bowers; why canopy leaves have drip tips; where gorillas live; why chameleons change colour — and much, much more

For 300 years, the Vikings took Europe by storm, sacking monasteries and towns in their search for booty and new lands to settle. This collection of superb photographs brings their story vividly to life. More than just wild pirates, the Vikings were skilled engineers and craftsmen. See their fine jewellery and woodwork, as well as real longships and a reconstruction of a Danish trading ship. Look inside a typical Viking home, andd learn how Viking women spun and wove clothes. See memorial stones inscribed with legends, and trace Viking history from the earliest raids to the introduction of Christianity to Scandinavia. Featuring many objects from leading museums in Scandinavia, Britain, and Ireland, Viking is a unique and exciting introduction to these daring warriors, explorers and traders. — Here is a spectacular and informative guide to the daring adventurers of the Viking Age — Superb colour photographs of Viking ships and swords, clothes and shields, memorial stones and beautiful brooches, offer a unique 'eyewitness' view into the lives of the Norsemen and their outstanding achievements — See a Viking battle-axe; the magnificent ship used in the funeral of a Viking Queen; a Viking fortress; a beautiful ceremonial sledge; the tools of a Swedish swordsmith — Learn why the goddess Freya cried tears of gold; how longships were made; how Greenland got its name; why walruses were used to make ship ropes; what happened to Thor when he caught the world serpent; how warriors got to Valhalla — Discover why Erik the Red had to leave Iceland; how Viking women applied for a divorce; how Viking sailors navigated; what was on the menu at a Viking Feast; how to put down an empty drinking-horn; the legend of Sigurd the dragon-slayer

Be an eyewitness to how the weather works — from how clouds form and why it rains, to what causes a ferocious hurricane or a roaring tornado that strikes without warning. Also see a machine that measures the wind and find out why the climate may change in the future.

The Eyewitness Visual Dictionaries differ from the Eyewitness books in that the text is longer and the vocabulary more difficult.... The photographs are outstanding.... The brief text compresses many details into a few sentences, The vocabulary is scholarly... and charts combined with the text give a clear overview of the subjects.

A range of popular DK titles now available in Spanish. A first word-and-picture book that helps children develop essential vocabulary. Un primer libro de palabras y dibujos que le ayudara a sus hijos a desarollar un volcabulario basico. DK is proud to present nine exciting Spanish titles especially for North American children. They will love the bilingual Spanish/English editions of four popular My First Word Board Books, the Spanish editions of My First Math Book, My Very First Numbers Book, and My Very First Colors, Shapes, Sizes, and Opposites Book, as well as two completely new titles.

Starting with the position of butterflies and moths in the animal kingdom, the book goes on to give comprehensive information on their body structure, life-cycle, habitats, and range of behaviour worldwide. Butterflies and moths are among the most beautiful and fascinating of creatures. This dazzling collection of specially commissioned photographs opens our eyes to the incredible variety of these insects, as well as to their unique life cycle. The rarer and more unusual specimens belong to the unrivalled collection at the Natural History Museum, London. All of these photographs are reproduced with such clarity that they give us a new insight into the life and development of these fascinating insects. produced in association with the Natural History Museum, London, Butterfly & Moth is an original and informative visual guide to the lives of these beautiful creatures. — Here is an original and exciting look at the natural history of butterflies and moths — Stunning, real-life photographs provide a unique 'eyewitness' view of the behaviour of these complex and vividly beautiful insects, their structure and life-cycle, where they live and feed, and how they protect themselves — See a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis; how silk moths make silk; a caterpillar eating its own eggshell; butterflies that have become extinct — Learn how a caterpillar can frighten off predators; why some adult moths never eat; which butterfly migrates the length of a sub-continent; how to breed butterflies and moths — Discover how a caterpillar transforms itself into a chrysalis; which buterfly lives with ants; why butterflies and moths often mimic each other; how a chrysalis can look like a dead leaf

Fish are a vast and diverse group of animals, ranging in size from tiny minnows to huge sharks, all perfectly adapted to living in water and capable of amazing feats of survival. This superb collection of photographs brings their story vividly to life. Starting with a look at fish fossils and anatomy in detail, the book describes their evolution and different patterns of behaviour. Discover how a stickleback builds a nest, and how a flatfish's eyes move over to one side of its face as it develops. Learn about fish parenting, feeding, migration, and different means of defence. There is also a dazzling head-to-tail feature on a vicious, sharp-toothed shark. Produced in association with the Natural History Museum, Fish is a unique and compelling introduction to the lives of these fascinating and mysterious animals. — Here is an exciting and informative guide to the fascinating world of fishes — Superb colour photographs of tropical fishes, eels, seahorses, and more offer a unique «eyewitness» view of the natural history of fishes, how they behave and how they survive — See the lethal jaws of a piranha; a porcupine fish «puffing up»; how a dogfish swims; growth rings on a fish scale; what a fish looked like 400 million years ago; a fish with legs — Learn how a shoal stays together; why some fishes swim upside-down; how a stingray stings; which male fish can «give birth»; how a stickleback builds its nest why fishes need water to breathe — Discover why a shark must keep swimming; how a ray can give an electric shock; what eyespots are for; how an archerfish «shoots» a victim

One of the most interesting and studied groups of animals, mammals are adapted to many ways of life — they can swim, walk, fly, live underwater or high up in forest trees. This collection of superb specially commissioned photographs brings their fascinating world vividly to life. Starting with a comparison of the two most famous mammals, humans and chimpanzees, the book describes the evolution and classification of a large variety of mammals, going on to look in detail at their anatomy. It follows a mammal from birth, showing how it grows, and the stages of life. Feeding, suckling, grooming, and playing are also studied. Produced in association with the Natural History Museum, London, this book is a unique and compelling introduction to mammals' variety and complexity. — Here is a spectacular and informative guide to the natural world of mammals. — Stunning, real-life photographs of bushbabies, badgers, wallabies, and more, offer a unique «eyewitness» view of the natural history of animal behaviour and anatomy. — See how newborn mice develop; what the inside of a molehill looks like; what a whale has inside its mouth; how a chinchilla keeps its fur clean; the only mammals that can fly — Learn how to recognize mammal footprints, why some animals store food in their cheek pouches; why you are a mammal; how the porcupine frightens its enemies — Discover how camels can walk on sand; what mammals looked like in the Ice Age; why some mammals have spines instead of fur; what whiskers are for; why a wallaby has a pouch