Blastoff! Readers Level 1

Tiny bristles called setae help earthworms burrow several feet into the ground. The earthworms bring nutrients and minerals to the surface, and on the way, their tunneling aerates the ground. More →

Modified pickup trucks, or monster trucks, offer drivers an adrenaline rush and audiences action-packed shows. They race around rugged tracks and crush regular cars beneath their oversize… More →

With the look of a pig-size beaver, it is not readily apparent that the water-loving capybara is actually a rodent—the largest, in fact! For this hairy mammal, the water is a source of food,… More →

There are dump trucks with tires as high as two grown men! These enormous trucks could never share a street with other vehicles. This explains why “off-road” is how they roll. They are built… More →

Even scavengers can build a model family. Jackals mate for life, and their offspring often stick around to help raise and protect the next litter. Such unity and support is beneficial in the… More →

For centipedes, leg pairs come in odd numbers. This means they’ll never hit exactly one hundred, as their name implies. Still, these elongated arthropods can pound the pavement with a… More →

Though most members of the feline family are known to be leery of water, this big cat seeks it out! Jaguars know that rivers are stocked with fish, turtles, and other tasty prey. This… More →

Wolf pups look soft and sweet, but they have a true competitive edge. They need this to fight for their place in the pack and achieve hunting success later in life. The playful pups wrestling More →

Sloth pups are the perfect combination of peculiar and precious. Whether they are hanging upside down from a tree branch or using mom like a hammock, they are fascinating. Enter tropical… More →

Huge spoilers, thick rims, and souped-up engines transform ordinary cars into road giants that are impossible to ignore. Turn the pages of this book to see mutated cars rumbling down the… More →

Some trains have so many cars that they are miles long. The longest freight train in history had 682 cars filled with iron ore. This beast of a train needed eight locomotives to pull it… More →

Mongooses are nothing if not tenacious. These creative hunters whack bird eggs against hard surfaces to get at the meal within. They’ll even grapple with venomous snakes, waiting patiently… More →