BOOKS FOR YOUR BUDDING ARCHITECT, INVENTOR, OR ENGINEER...

Yesterday, while at my friend's house, I was directed by her young cartographer son, Jude, to look on her refrigerator door at an amazing hand drawn aerial "map" of their house.  His mom told me that he had also drawn a map of the whole floor plan of Smart and Final (a huge grocery store.)  They plan on photo-copying the artwork and giving it to the store manager!  

I love supportive parents like my friend, who encourage and applaud their kids' talents and interests!  Books are also a great way to help ignite these sparks of interest (or fuel the fire that may already be there!)   If you have a little engineer or architect in-the-making, you should check out some of these great CHILDREN'S books on PHYSICS, TECHNOLOGY, INVENTIONS, AND ENGINEERING:

The Lever and The Pulley by Hal Hellman (ages 4-8)

Mickey’s Magnet by Franklyn M. Branley and Eleanor K. Vaughan.  One of my kids' favorites!  (ages 4- 8)

How Do you Lift a Lion? by Robert E. Wells (ages 4-8)

Wheels At Work by Bernie Zubrowski (ages 9-12)

Diary of an Early American Boy by Eric Sloane.  This is a reprint of an actual early-19th-century diary  of a 15-year-old boy.  The concise notebook is accompanied by Sloane's 72 drawings and explanatory narrative. (ages 10 and up)

Robots, What They Are, What They Do by Fredericka Berger (ages 4-8)

The Phone Book:  Instant Communication from Smoke Signals to Satellites and Beyond by Elizabeth MacLeod  (ages 8-12)

The New Way Things Work by David Macauley (And his others: City, Castle, Cathedral, Pyramid, Underground, Ship, Mill, Building Big.  (ages 6 and up - young children will love just looking at the pictures; the story/text is written more for ages 10 and up).

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton (ages 4-8)

Amazing Impossible Erie Canal by Cheryl Harness (ages 8 and up)

Eureka! It’s an Automobile by Jeanne Bendick  (ages 8 and up)  Out of print - look at the library for it.

Archimedes and the Door of Science by Jeanne Bendick.   Another of our family's favorites. (ages 9-12)

Rocket: How a Toy Launched the Space Age by Richard Maurer.  (ages 9-12)

Story of Inventions by Frank P. Bachman (ages 10 and up)

Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham.  Fascinating biography of Nathaniel Bowditch, an eighteenth-century nautical wonder and mathematical wizard.  (ages 10 and up)

AUTHOR JEAN FRITZ: BRINGING HEROES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION TO LIFE

Jean Fritz has written several informal historical biographies for 9-12 year olds about the American Revolution in a style that makes distant historical figures seem real and brings their stories to life.  One way she accomplishes this, is that she never makes up the dialogue.  She finds real letters, diaries, and journals of the people she is writing about, using only their own spoken or written words. Her books are very readable and capture young readers' imaginations.  She writes her books like a journalist..."my approach is that of a reporter, trying for a scoop, looking for clues, connecting facts, digging under the surface."

AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED, PAUL REVERE?, illustrated by Margo Tomes.

CAN'T YOU MAKE THEM BEHAVE, KING GEORGE?, illustrated by Tommie dePaola.

WHY DON'T YOU GET A HORSE, SAM ADAMS? illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. 

WILL YOU SIGN HERE, JOHN HANCOCK? illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. 

WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA, BEN FRANKLIN? illustrated by Margaret Tomes.

BOOKS ABOUT ANCIENT EGYPT

Maybe it's the fact that today it was 112 degrees outside (here in Southern California) that got me thinking about Ancient Egypt.  Not sure; but whatever the reason, today I'm blogging about some great books for kids out there that are centered around all things Egyptian!


PICTURE BOOKS:
The Egyptian Cinderella by Shirley Climo, illustrations by Ruth Heller.  An inventive re-telling of the classic tale.  In this version, Cinderella is "Rhodopis", a Greek Slave girl in ancient Egypt. (ages 4-8)

Bill and Pete Go Down the Nile by Tomie dePaola.  "On their journey down the Nile, dePaola's duo transport readers from the mummified past to a living present. Time distinction is abolished as the Nile Queen, the Grand Hotel, cars and umbrellas, sarcophaguses, sacred jewels and sphinxes are all part of the setting for an ancient story that still bears retelling. Shades of blue and gold strengthen the mood of the mystery and adventure." (Publisher's Weekly).  Full of fun and humor! (ages 4-8)

Pyramid by David Macaulay.  Macaulay's detailed pen-and ink illustrations frame his fictional story of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh who commissions a pyramid to be built for him.  The book brings a mix of the architecture, history, and mysticism of ancient Egypt and will engross children and adults alike.  (ages 8 and up)



CHAPTER BOOKS:
Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw.  To gain her freedom, Mara, a slave girl, plays the dangerous role of double spy for two arch enemies in the royal palace of Thebes. Exciting story of adventure, romance and intrigue in Ancient Egypt, in the days when Queen Hatshepsut ruled. (ages 8 and up)

The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw.  Ranofer is an orphan in ancient Egypt who desires nothing more than to follow in his father's footsteps as a goldsmith, but must thwart the plottings of his evil brother, Gebu. A story of mystery and suspense, in which Egyptian life from impoverished hovel to magnificent palace is dramatically portrayed. (ages 8 and up)



NONFICTION:
Mummies Made in Egypt by Aliki.  My daughter was always intrigued by this detailed and wonderfully illustrated book about the 70-day process used by Egyptians of long ago, as they prepared and wrapped their dead to last forever.  (ages 8 and up)
 
Tut's Mummy:  Lost...and Found (Step-Into-Reading) by Judy Donnelly.  The author starts with simple details about how King Tutankhamen was buried and the ancient Eygyptians beliefs about death.  She then moves ahead to Howard Carter's five-year search (in the 1800's) for Egyptian treasure, which resulted in his discovery of the young king's tomb. (ages 4-8)
 
Exploring the Past:  Ancient Egypt by George Hart, illustrations by Stephen Biesty.  This brief yet information packed, over-sized book is a beautifully illustrated, exciting exploration of the world of Ancient Egypt. (ages 8-12) 
 

Worlds Sexiest Female Athletes

Top ten sexiest and most attractive female player, athletes, celebrities in the world today. From swimming to cycling, beach volleyball to softball, NASCAR to F1, tennis to golf, football to basketball, soccer to baseball, we name the top male sports sex icons today.

1. Maria Yuryevna Sharapova - is a Russian professional tennis player. At the end of 2006, she was the world’s highest-paid female athlete. Sharapova has won two Grand Slam singles titles. She is the reigning U.S. Open champion, having defeated Justine Henin in the final of the 2006 U.S. Open. Two years earlier, she defeated Serena Williams in the final at Wimbledon.



2. Stacy Keibler - In the year 1999, Keibler entered a contest held by WCW to find a new member of Nitro Girls dance troupe, which she won. Initially a Nitro Girl, Keibler would perform dance routines every week on WCW’s flagship show Monday Nitro under the name Skye. However, this didn’t last long as she soon accepted a larger role and became a valet using the provocative stage name Miss Hancock (originally Miss Handcock), briefly serving as an associate for the tag team of Lenny Lane and Lodi dubbed “Standards and Practices”. Despite wearing business suits, her character would often climb on top of the announcers table and start dancing sensually, much to the announcers’ and fans’ delight. It was also during this period that she began using what would become her trademark ring entrance.



3. Shannon Elizabeth - Elizabeth appeared in several low-budget films, including the notorious Jack Frost and Dish Dogs, before being cast in 1999′s American Pie, which was a major box office success. Elizabeth subsequently appeared in several major Hollywood films, including Scary Movie (2000) and Tomcats. Elizabeth starred in the UPN series Cuts until the show was canceled in May of 2006. In August 1999, she appeared nude in Playboy magazine. In 2000 and 2003, she was featured in Maxim magazine.



4. Candice Michelle - Candice Michelle came to WWE as a contestant in the Diva Search 2004. Although she wasn’t one of the final ten contestants to make it to the televised event, WWE hired Candice anyway and placed her on the RAW brand under the gimmick of a makeup artist. Initially, Candice Michelle’s role was limited. She was never given an angle on RAW and she rarely made television appearances unless to participate in one of the program’s occasional lingerie pillow fights or bikini contests that were held between Christy Hemme, Maria Kanellis, Stacy Keibler, and herself.



5. Anna Kournikova - Anna Sergeyevna Kournikova was born on June 7, 1981 is a retired Russian professional tennis player and model. Although she never won a major singles tournament, she became one of the best known tennis players worldwide. At the peak of her fame, fans looking for images of Kournikova made her name one of the most common search strings on Google.



6. Nicole Vaidisova - Vaidišová is an emerging star in women’s tennis who has been playing since she was six years old. She is a student of Nick Bollettieri and is said to consider her serve her biggest weapon.[1] As of May 14 2007, Vaidišová is ranked no.7 in the WTA rankings. On August 9 2006, she moved up in the rankings to no.9, becoming the 12th-youngest player in Tour history to crack the Top 10, at 17 years, 3 months, and 2 weeks of age.



7. Shana Hiatt - Shana Hiatt is a model and presenter who has appeared in several magazines. A former Army brat rose primarily in Tabernacle, New Jersey, she is best known for hosting the first three seasons of World Poker Tour on the The Travel Channel. While Hiatt was a non-player prior to her job with the World Poker Tour, she is now an avid online poker player who occasionally plays in casinos.



8. Sania Mirza - Sania Mirza was on born November 15, 1986 is an Indian tennis player. She was born in Mumbai but brought up in Hyderabad. Coached by her father Imran Mirza, she began playing tennis at the age of six, turning professional in 2003. She was the highest ranked female tennis player ever from India, with career high rankings of number 31 in singles and 24 in doubles. She is now ranked 48th in singles and 38th in doubles as of April 9th, 2007.



9. Danica Patrick - Danica Patrick began gokarting in 1992 at Sugar River Raceway outside of Brodhead, Wisconsin and went on to win several national championships. She moved to England at the age of 16 in order to advance her racing career. She has also earned a GED. Focusing primarily on road racing, Patrick raced in several developmental open-wheel series while in Europe, including Formula Ford and Formula Vauxhall. A big achievement was finishing second in England’s super-competitive Formula Ford Festival, the highest-ever finish by either a woman or an American in the event.



10. Martina Hingis - Martina Hingis (pronounced: hing-GISS) was born on September 30, 1980 in Košice, Czechoslovakia, now Slovakia is a former world number one Swiss tennis player. Known as the "Swiss Miss," she has won five Grand Slam singles titles (three Australian Open, one Wimbledon, and one US Open). She has also won nine Grand Slam women’s doubles titles, winning a calendar year Grand Slam in 1998, and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title. She spent a total of 209 weeks as World No. 1 and set a series of "youngest-ever" records before ligament injuries in both ankles forced her to withdraw from professional tennis at the relatively early age of 22.