There are 53 countries in Africa. If you visited one country each week, it would take over a year to see them all. Africa is a continent filled with contrasts. Experience the diversity, rich history and dynamic cultural life of Africa today.

In the early 1900s, New York City had to remove 1800 tonnes of horse manure from the streets each day. Cars were rare. You had to be wealthy to afford a car. But Henry Ford had a dream.

Children (and adults) love them. But what do we know about the history and culture of sweets? Who were the first to manufacture sugar? When was chewing gum invented? How much sugar is in a can of coke?

The world is warming, partly because of how we produce energy. We need to develop alternative sources of energy. What is energy? Where do we get energy from? Why are some sources of energy a problem? What are the alternatives?

Our world has an amazing variety of spectacular landforms: towering mountains, deep canyons, rugged coastlines and vast plains. Where have these features of our planet come from?

If you think that pockets are found on jeans and “leading edge” would be cool name for a band,the chances are that you are not a surfer. This book tells you about surfing – the history,the equipment,the lingo and learning to surf.

Australia has about 250 kinds of mammal but about 85,000 insect species, so: What exactly are insects? Welcome to the fascinating (and creepy) world of insects, spiders and crustaceans.

Beetle is in trouble. He has been summoned by the queen to find her gold ring, which is lost. She has heard that he has magical powers for finding things. He is frightened about what she will do to him when she discovers he is a fraud.

We all know what happened when the Big Bad Wolf came to the house of the Three Little Pigs. Or do we? The Big Bad Wolf is a playful reworking of the old well-known story. It has several surprises and lots of laughs.

When her family moved to a new house, Lilly said, “I bet I can find an adventure in the forest next door.” “Good luck, Lilly,” said Dad, hugging her. “There’s nothing there but a car graveyard.”

“You’re in big trouble, young man.” Sam had never seen his mum so angry. But he didn’t burn the hole in his pants. So how did it happen?

Caitlin loves wild animals. She begs her parents to let her have an unusual pet. They turn down her requests for a panda, a camel and a boa constrictor. But they are happy to let her have a mouse. What they are not ready for is the kind of mouse it turns out to be.

When Louise, the giraffe in the zoo, gets a cold, the vet gives her a scarf. It looks wonderful. This is the colourful start to Louise’s life as a fashion model, travelling the world.

Dressed in her finery and accompanied by her bridesmaids, Skathi leaves her home. She is a giant on her way to marry a god. To make up for killing her father, the gods have offered Skathi marriage to the god of her choice. Who will she choose? Will she live happily ever after?

When his dog disappears, Christopher goes next door to Sophie. “You have to help me.” Sophie is good at solving mysteries. She wants to be a spy when she grows up. Can she solve the case of the missing beagle?

Amaterasu, the sun goddess, hides in a cave, high in the mountains. The earth is shrouded in darkness and the people of the earth are afraid. What can be done to coax the goddess out of her cave so that there will be light and warmth and happiness again?