In this innovative contribution to the field of environmental history, Stephen Mosley explores the devastating human and environmental costs of smoke pollution in the world’s first industrial city.

The art and science of chimney sweeping are examined in detailed for the first time in this lively and fascinating book.

The Kyles share their knowledge and provide a peek into the secret life of these beneficial, insect-eating birds, and practical guidelines for homeowners to coexist peacefully with these remarkable birds.

""Look, Miriam," said Tadeusz, interrupting her troubled thoughts one day. He unfurled a small, rolled-up piece of paper. Miriam gasped. It was a small painting of herself, unmistakable, with her red hair coiled about her ears. Yet the figure wore no clothes at all. This naked, painted Miriam stood with uplifted arms, fastening her hair. While Miriam tried to recover from the shock of seeing herself so painfully exposed, Tadeusz unrolled two more paintings. With delicate brush strokes and warm toned pigments, each showed a naked Miriam in a graceful pose; her face expressed no shame at her body being revealed in a way no one had ever seen, not even Dina. Each painting bore his signature: Tadeusz Zbirka. Tears sprang to Miriam's eyes and she blushed to the roots of her hair. "Tadeusz, how. . .why. . .what is this?" She gasped. "What do you mean?" Never very fluent in Polish, she could barely choke the words out. "Don't cry, Miriam, Oh, please, I didn't mean to upset you. All great artists paint this way. Their models pose for them in the nude. But I knew you'd never do that. So I imagined how you would look. You should be proud of your beauty. In art the body of a woman isn't shameful. "He put his arms around her trembling shoulders. But Miriam would not be consoled. She pulled away from him and began rushing blindly through the trees. Tadeusz quickly gathered up his paintings and began racing after her, tripping over the tangled bracken along the path, but he soon gave up because of the lengthening shadows and rising wind. Tucking his paintings back into his worn leather portfolio, he started for home. He would visit Miriam's house next Monday afternoon, as he used to, and leave her anote, perhaps. He made his way quickly through the woods to the river, hunching his shoulders against a chill autumn wind. His eyes did not catch the flutter of the small, rolled-up paper that lay at the foot of the chimney tree. Nor did he see the slim blonde figure slipping silently through the pines as she bent to retrieve it from its bed of twigs and dried pine needles.

Succinct and factual text follows chimney swifts as they arrive on a Texas farm, build their nest, lay eggs, ready for fledglings to take flight, and eventually prepare to migrate back to South America. In a parallel, wordless story, a mom, dad, and young girl on the farm watch the chimney swifts throughout the summer and fall, even as they build a new crib and ready for the new baby they're expecting. As they enjoy their baby's first months, they also celebrate the fledglings' first flight and bid the birds good-bye until next year. Nicole Gsell's soft illustrations follow the tales of both families—bird and human—from each unique perspective. A beautiful addition to bird lovers' collections, as well as classrooms and libraries.

Siri and Erik live with their mother by an old Viking mound. While they are not frightened by local superstition about the Viking graves, mysterious events lead to the opening of the mound and the discovery of its treasures.

A penetrating take on how our planet would respond without the relentless pressure of the human presence

A Victorian tale in which Tom, a sooty little chimney sweep with a great longing to be clean, is stolen by fairies and turned into a water-baby.