Who invented pizza? Why do people shake hands? Why do we wear underwear? You'll find the answers to these questions and more in this new series from National Geographic Kids! Ever wonder how basketball got started? Why we have birthday cakes? And why some people use forks and some use chopsticks? Prepare to be amazed by the surprising backstories behind the things you use or do every day! From familiar foods to common clothing items to bizarre beauty regimens, this book covers all your burning questions: Who thought of that? Where did that come from? Why is that a thing? Presented in a bold, colorful design, with stunning photos, and jam-packed with awesome facts, this book will have you totally riveted! Once you know all this cool stuff about the origins of everyday stuff, you can "wow" your friends and family.

ECPA 2020 Christian Book Award Finalist! You wouldn’t believe it, but . . . James Earl Jones, the voice of Darth Vader, grew up mute. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. Albert Einstein was bullied mercilessly in school. Beethoven’s mom almost aborted him. Life takes the strangest sharp turns—and sometimes, U-turns. Robert Petterson—popular speaker, storyteller, and author—has been a student for his entire life of what God is teaching us through those real-life U-turns. In this book, he compiles 365 amazing stories that teach lessons you won’t easily forget. Each entry is written in the rest-of-the-story style popularized by Paul Harvey. With The One Year Book of Amazing Stories, you’ll marvel at how God has used the lives of these ordinary people to change the course of human history.

One day Judy was working in Abingdon Library, on her novel ‘The Story Traveller’, when she was approached by Brother Cedric- a ghost who died in 1327.At first she thought she was having a weird day dream, however on her next visit to the Library Brother Cedric again made himself known and asked her to ghost write his book for him. But then as Judy says in her foreword: ‘What writer wouldn’t jump at the chance to be a ‘ghost writer’ to a real ghost.’Brother Cedric, who used to illustrate the manuscripts at the Abbey, has been haunting the town ever since his untimely death. He has witnessed all the major events that have occurred since then and, as he has always taken an enormous interest in the local printers to the point of haunting them, he knows a great deal of other information about the town and its people.He is well aware that many wonderful history books have been written about Abingdon, but he wanted to write a book more specifically for children, to whet their appetites. That is why he sees this book as a ‘pick and mix’, in the hope that his young readers will want to delve even closer into the rich tapestry that makes up the stories of Abingdon.

Whether it's a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup or a salted caramel coated in dark chocolate, you know when food tastes good. Now here's the amazing story behind why you love some foods and can't tolerate others. Whether it's a salted caramel or pizza topped with tomatoes and cheese, you know when food tastes good. Now, Barb Stuckey, a seasoned food developer to whom food companies turn for help in creating delicious new products, reveals the amazing story behind why you love some foods and not others. Through fascinating stories, you'll learn how our five senses work together to form flavor perception and how the experience of food changes for people who have lost their sense of smell or taste. You'll learn why kids (and some adults) turn up their noses at Brussels sprouts, how salt makes grapefruit sweet, and why you drink your coffee black while your spouse loads it with cream and sugar. Eye-opening experiments allow you to discover your unique "taster type" and to learn why you react instinctively to certain foods. You'll improve your ability to discern flavors and devise taste combinations in your own kitchen for delectable results. What Harold McGee did for the science of cooking Barb Stuckey does for the science of eating in Taste--a calorie-free way to get more pleasure from every bite.

Part cookbook—with more than 120 enticing recipes—part culinary history, part inquiry into the evolution of an industry, Milk is a one-of-a-kind book that will forever change the way we think about dairy products. Anne Mendelson, author of Stand Facing the Stove, first explores the earliest Old World homes of yogurt and kindred fermented products made primarily from sheep’s and goats’ milk and soured as a natural consequence of climate. Out of this ancient heritage from lands that include Greece, Bosnia, Turkey, Israel, Persia, Afghanistan, and India, she mines a rich source of culinary traditions. Mendelson then takes us on a journey through the lands that traditionally only consumed milk fresh from the cow—what she calls the Northwestern Cow Belt (northern Europe, Great Britain, North America). She shows us how milk reached such prominence in our diet in the nineteenth century that it led to the current practice of overbreeding cows and overprocessing dairy products. Her lucid explanation of the chemical intricacies of milk and the simple home experiments she encourages us to try are a revelation of how pure milk products should really taste. The delightfully wide-ranging recipes that follow are grouped according to the main dairy ingredient: fresh milk and cream, yogurt, cultured milk and cream, butter and true buttermilk, fresh cheeses. We learn how to make luscious Clotted Cream, magical Lemon Curd, that beautiful quasi-cheese Mascarpone, as well as homemade yogurt, sour cream, true buttermilk, and homemade butter. She gives us comfort foods such as Milk Toast and Cream of Tomato Soup alongside Panir and Chhenna from India. Here, too, are old favorites like Herring with Sour Cream Sauce, Beef Stroganoff, a New Englandish Clam Chowder, and the elegant Russian Easter dessert, Paskha. And there are drinks for every season, from Turkish Ayran and Indian Lassis to Batidos (Latin American milkshakes) and an authentic hot chocolate. This illuminating book will be an essential part of any food lover’s collection and is bound to win converts determined to restore the purity of flavor to our First Food.

Collects stories demonstrating animal friendship and love, including tales of devoted siblings, mothers, and mates.

A five-time Moth GrandSLAM winner and bestselling novelist shows how to tell a great story — and why doing so matters. Whether we realize it or not, we are always telling stories. On a first date or job interview, at a sales presentation or therapy appointment, with family or friends, we are constantly narrating events and interpreting emotions and actions. In this compelling book, storyteller extraordinaire Matthew Dicks presents wonderfully straightforward and engaging tips and techniques for constructing, telling, and polishing stories that will hold the attention of your audience (no matter how big or small). He shows that anyone can learn to be an appealing storyteller, that everyone has something “storyworthy” to express, and, perhaps most important, that the act of creating and telling a tale is a powerful way of understanding and enhancing your own life.

From Stevie Wonder to Emma Watson, and Pocahontas to Pablo Picasso , 50 amazing kids who shaped history! A collection of biographies profiling some of the most influential kids in history and today. Prodigies, proteges, and kids with huge ambition, these youngsters prove that fulfilling your dreams and making a difference in the world isn't just for grown-ups. Some of the most phenomenal musicians, inventors, athletes, authors, actors, and even world leaders achieved greatness during their childhood years, beating the odds and making their mark on history. With loads of facts and trivia, activities, jokes, and a complete glossary, discover fifty of the most inspiring, impressive, incredible kids!

A collection of surprising and spellbinding tales includes "The Interlopers," in which two friends are trapped beneath a fallen tree; "The Open Window," about a woman who waits for a trio of ghosts; and "Tobermory," a story about an unusual cat. Original.