Product Description
MORGAN, THE MAGICAL librarian of Camelot, sends Jack and Annie to find lost stories in the ancient worlds of Roman Pompeii, imperial China, Dark Age Ireland, and classical Greece. Will the books help them in their darkest hours? This boxed set includes four exciting Magic Tree House adventures: #13: Vacation Under the Volcano, #14: Day of the Dragon King, #15: Viking Ships at Sunrise, and #16: Hour of the Olympics, as well as a Magic Tree House poster. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Excellent choice for someone between the ages of 9and 121
I purchased this collection because my son has loved The Magic Treehouse since he was four .Now that he can read on his own,I purchased this set for his ninth birthday.Hopefully now that he can read on his own ,he will read these and more.

Glad I bought this by mistake!
I meant to order the book set and hit the wrong button. It was too late to return, so I gave this to the kid as a gift. He is 5 years old and still loves it many months later!

Great Books
My son is in Kindergarten and he absolutely loves these books!We are waiting for the next set to arrive in the mail.My son asks me everyday if the books have arrived.What a great series of books!Highly recommended:)

AWESOME BOOK!!!!
MY SON AND I LOVE THIS BOOK AND ALL THE MAGIC TREE HOUSE BOOKS ~ A MUST BUY FOR KIDS!!

Great Xmas Gift!
Bought this set for my 7-yr.old grandson.He loved the books and the books arrived super fast. Very, very happy with this purchase! ... Read more

Product Description
INsiders brings volcanoes & earthquakes to life, with the most up-to-date information and state-of-the-art 3-D illustrations that practically leap off every page, stimulating minds and imaginations in a whole new way. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Best E & V Book for Kids
Beautifully detailed and illustrated from a true expert in the field. Remarkable amount of information in a concise and easily understandable text.

comprehensive book about earthquakes and volcanoes
The book covers the subject thoroughly, but often does not explain or define the scientific terms it uses.Instead, the reader must refer to the glossary at the back of the book, which disturbs the flow of the narrative.Since it is intended for children, I would have preferred that terms were defined in the text, as well as in a separate glossary.Otherwise, the book is well written, organized well and up-to-date. ... Read more

Product Description
SynopsisWith hot coursing lava and rolling clouds of ash, a volcanic eruption is one of nature's most exciting and deadly shows. There are approximately 1500 active volcanoes around the world, and their unpredictability and intensity are matched only by their visually stunning bursts of activity. In this spectacular oversized volume, award-winning photographer Philippe Bourseiller documents the awesome power and devastating aftermath of volcanoes. More than 170 full-color double-page spreads, including satellite photos, depict the dramatic outbursts of active volcanoes in images of red-hot oceans and rivers of fire, massive craters and islands formed from molten rock, and silt-coated towns filled with inhabitants struggling to cope with chaos. From the ancient ruins of Pompeii, wrecked by the wrath of Vesuvius, to the recently awakened Guagua Pichincha near the equator, Bourseiller's photographs trace the history and terrible beauty of volcanoes while the text provides the most up-to-date methods for predicting and adapting to the eruptions of these awe-inspiring giants. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Beautiful Book at a Low Price!
2 friends bought me this book this year and I pored through the pages with a renewed fetish for volcanoes. As the cover page would tell, the pictures in there are really spectacular, making one wonder how they were even captured on paper! The variety is also varied enough to keep you interested - rather than yawning at the 203rd crater. From hellish looking magma swirling in a dark pitless crater, to crater lakes surrounded by uncountable flamingoes, to mystical colored sulphur pools and to "oogly" mud volcanoes, one HAS to stop and ponder the awesomeness of the Creator of these. I particularly like the accounts about real historical eruptions, though there are other really curious stories about how various cultures respond to the volcanic world. The only shortcoming is that the book is too heavy! Frankly, the pictures could have been a teeny weeny bit sharper, but they really ain't "that" bad.

Great photos
This book contains some truly spectacular photos of volcanoes and volcanic eruptions. The geology of volcanoes often creates scenes with vivid but strange, unworldly-looking colors, such as the man standing next to a small mountain of greenish-yellow sulfur, the milky, powder-blue color of the water in a volcano's caldera, the metallic colors of the mineral deposits crusting the walls and fissures in vocanoes, and the bright, honeycomb-like pattern in a lava lake, along with the other photos of red-hot lava flowing, oozing, glopping, spattering, squirting, or whatever, in the book. The book includes aerial as well as terrestrial photos, and they range from close-ups to vast panoramic views of the mountains and their surroundings. Overall this is a beautiful book with many spectacular photos, and last but not least, the text by Jacques Durieux is interesting and well-written.

Power, beauty, and devastating aftermath of active volcanoes
Augmented by Jacques Duriux's informative text, Philippe Bourseiller's impressive photography showcases the awesome power, beauty, and devastating aftermath of active volcanoes. With more than 170 full-color, double-page spreads (including satellite photos), Volcanoes reveals memorable images and history of the terrible beauty of molten rivers of fire and overwhelmed silt-coated towns. The text explains the most up-to-date methods of predicting and adapting volcanic eruptions. Whether for simply browsing or for supplementing series studies of vulcanology, Philippe Bourseiller and Jacques Duriux's Volcanoes is an outstanding contribution and highly recommended for school and community library collections. ... Read more

Product Description
PUBLISHED IN COOPERATION WITH THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY'S VOLCANO HAZARDS PROGRAM. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Charming memoir, frightening facts
Wendell Duffield's "Chasing Lava" is longer on charm than adventure, despite the subtitle.
You cannot work around an active volcano for three years without having a scrape or two, but don't expect "Chasing Lava" to be the vehicle for the next Bruce Willis film.
No matter. As he says, "Kilauea (which has been erupting on the Big Island of Hawaii continuously since 1983) would be fascinating even without the occasional shaking and breaking of ground and belching of molten rock."
Indeed, even if your interest in volcanoes is minimal, Duffield'smemoir of moving to a quieter Hawaii in 1969 along with his wife Anne and cat Mingo has plenty to recommend it. From coping with mold -- not in those days regarded as a medical emergency -- to enjoying homemade ohelo berry wine, "Chasing Lava" will make many who yearn for the older, slower Hawaii mist up a bit.
As for adventure, you cannot get a better setup than falling into a river of molten lava, as one of Duffield's colleagues did; but Hawaiian lava is a kinder, gentler sort, and the man escaped with nothing worse than a good story.
This little memoir is published in cooperation with the Geological Survey's Volcano Hazards Program, and it gently imparts a good deal of factual material about volcanoes and volcanologists.
From tidbits about how difficult it is to measure the tiny movements of the pulsing mountain to a history of how people first came to understand volcanoes, "Chasing Lava" is consistently interesting.
Some of the first solid research about volcanoes was done at Kilauea, although even now, Duffield says, "More than once, Kilauea has leaked important new bits of information just when modern scientists thought they had finally pieced together the volcano's complex story."
There is an underlying tension in this gentle memoir, created by the discovery -- to which Duffield contributed some early insights -- that at long intervals Hawaiian volcanoes slide catastrophically into the ocean.
"We should never take for granted," writes Duffield, "even such relatively benign volcanoes as those in Hawaii."

deadly book!
this is a great book, really well-written and engaging, and exciting insights into experience of being one of the early(ish) USGS geologists at HVO, trying out new monitoring methods, finding snakes, drinking wine..

Volcanoes everywhere
Wendell Duffield tells the tale of Hawaii's Volcanoes like no other.He masterfully mixes a biographical tale of moving to Hawaii and living here with his passion for studying volcanoes.The telling of both stories is infectious, you just can't put the book down.Even non-geologists will understand and appreciate how volcanoes are studies and why it's important to all of us.

If you like this book you might also read "Volcanoes of Northern Arizona" and "When Pele Stirs" also by Wendell Duffield.

"Chasing Lava" a great read
"Chasing Lava" is excellent.Without being textbookish, Duffield explains the basic workings of Hawaiian volcanism, enabling readers to practically teach it to friends.Above and beyond that, Duffield gives a glimpse of what it's like to be a field scientist who flat out likes his work.Oh, that we could all enjoy our career work as much as Duffield enjoys his.And don't miss the amazing snake story.

Volcanoes for beginners
When I saw the cover of Chasing Lava, I had to pick it up.
For many of us who live on the tops of these under seas volcanoes, the thought is never far away--How did it happen and are these dormant giants going to remain dormant?After all, dormant comes from the root word meaning to sleep. Sleeping things can awaken.
Anyway, Duffield takes us by the hand and helps us to understand how they came to be.And he does so in a simple enough fashion and with enough humor and local color, to make the whole journey from the middle of the earth to its verdant surface a lark. Tke the trip.It's fascinating. By the way, Pele continues to increase the size of the
Island of Hawaii--that process which Duffield experienced 35 years ago--and she seems in no hurry to stop. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Volcano Weather
This is an excellent account of the effects of the Tambora Eruption of 1815.With just the right blend of science and anecdotal accounts the authors brilliantly explain how the eruption changed weather patterns for the next several years but especially the growing season of 1816.The authors take a global view of how the famines affected populations, not just North America.

HOW BAD WAS IT?
The year 1816 is known in the US for days of bitter cold in the Northeast that summer.Europeans suffered major crop failures only one year after the Napoleonic Wars.The author examines this year and how the eruption of a volcano the year before may have influenced the climate.The book uses a mixture of science and history to better understand what occured.

This is one of the few works of its kind I have ever seen.While far from fascinating, it does shed light on a period only dimly understood, and is a must read for anyone greatly interested in climate change or historic volcanoes.

The Year Without a Summer
Volcano Weather, by Henry Stommel & Elizabeth Stommel

Henry Stommel was a Professor of Oceanography at MIT and Harvard University. Elizabeth Stommel is a writer. In 1816 New England and Western Europe suffered a summer that was as cold as winter and a crop failure. This resulted in creating the Erie Canal by the state of New York, and started the use of steam engines for railways. This book estimates the probable links between the eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815 and the weather that followed. He can't be certain because "too little is known about these vastly complex physical and social phenomena to be sure about causes" (p.xix).

Chapter 1 says the eruption of Mount Tambora sent more dust into the upper air to obscure sunlight than any other over the last 400 years. [No mention of the "Dark Ages" in the sixth century, a world-wide phenomena.] Tambora had 10 times more volume than Krakatoa in 1883, 100 times more volume than St. Helens in 1980. Krakatoa reduced direct sunlight by 15% to 20% (p.10). Science knows quite a lot about the cold summer of 1816 because of scientific observation at the time. June 6, 1816 saw unseasonable cold and snow! The map on pages 28-29 show the snow line started north of Albany NY and due east to the coast. A second cold wave came in early July (p.37). This killed off the corn (maize) used as a food staple for hundreds of years. The shortages of fodder meant animals had to be butchered for meat since they would not live over the winter. The fruit harvest was plentiful (p.41). Chapter 3 says an even more disastrous summer in Europe created famine (p.44). Disease followed. Northern New England had a subsistence economy; there were no roads for transfer of bulk commodities (p.55). Wolves threatened lone travelers (p.58). Pages 59-65 describe their living conditions. Chapter 5 tells of the importance of the corn crop.

Noah Webster predicted an energy shortage (wood) and recommended more efficient iron stoves, narrower flues, better built houses (p.78). The crop failures of 1816 saw a spike in grain prices in 1817, but lower meat prices (p.81). Chapter 7 tells of other events of that time. John Stevens said that canals would be too slow (p.91). Chapter 8 tells of the westward migration that began after 1816. Stommel compares the population loss of Vermont to Oklahoma during the dust storms (pp.94-95). "Legends are part of collective folk history" (p.101). Chapter 9 has some of the stories about the cold summer. Chapter 10 tells of the cholera epidemics that began after 1816. Does anybody really know what causes climate change? Chapter 11 has suggested causes: sun spots, lightning rods, icebergs, dust high in the sky from volcanoes or meteorites. Climatologists use indirect indicators of temperature. The variations in temperature can differ between short-period variations and long-period variations (p.128). A computer model suggests that the temperature can vary over the centuries (pp.135-137). Will the volcano dust from El Chichon in 1982 produce measurable cooling (p.143)?

The question of cooling after a volcano eruption is so complicated that scientists cannot agree (p.144). Graphs show the temperatures along with sunspot numbers and volcano eruptions (pp.146-149). Chapter 13 sums up the results. One effect was a westward migration. Another was the need for better transportation. Famine was followed by disease. Population movement spread cholera. Man-made dust and aerosols can offset the carbon dioxide increases in the atmosphere (p.156).
... Read more

Product Description
Sir William Hamilton (1730-1803) was in his time a renowned antiquary, connoisseur and man of science, although he is perhaps better known today as the husband of Nelson's mistress Emma. Hamilton lived in Naples for 35 years and there his reputation attracted distinguished vistors from all over Europe, and Grand tourists flocked to see his collection of antiquities. The six essays in this book discuss all aspects of his life and career. Two hundred items formerly in his possession, but now in public and private collections all over the world, are fully described and illustrated. ... Read more

Product Description
Did you know that somewhere in the world a volcano is erupting right now? In this fascinating book you can read about amazing eruptions and find out about fiery lava rivers, deadly ash clouds, steamin ... Read more

Product Description
While in Hawaii, Zack falls under the curse of a very grouchy volcano goddess. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Volcano Goddess Will See You Now
Great, funny book.My grandson 7 years old was traveling with us to Hawaii, this book was perfect.It was all about the misadventures of a little boy traveling with his Dad on his first trip to Hawaii.Not only was my grandson laughing and laughing but so was I.He couldn't wait to finish the book as we read it waiting in the airport and then on a interisland flight.
My Grandson made sure when he left Hawaii that he didn't have any
lava rock with him after reading the book.He wants more of the Zack file adventures.

DEBOFLIC
This was the first zach files book I read to my then-6 year old.When we got to the part with the Goddess we were both laughing so hard that the rest of the family thought we went nuts.Since then we have read a bunch of other Zach books.They are all great.The most amazing thing is the Greenburg can introduce concepts (in this book ecofriendly tourism?), parallel universes and reincarnation so naturally that kids can really understand as if they've always known.I think Zach files jump started my son's love of reading. ... Read more

Product Description
Popular science at its best: a spectacular window into both the volcanic past and the fiery future astronomers predict for the solar system.

All the elements that form our planet were originally forged in cosmic furnaces: all the food we eat and thus our bodies themselves recycle molecules and atoms that once knew volcanic fire.

The most active—and most visited—volcano on earth is Kilauea in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, seen by three million people every year. With its counterpart Piton de la Fournaise, on the French island of La Réunion in the Indian Ocean, it is characterized by extraordinary lava flows that travel great distances in a spectacular landscape. Together they form the focus of this dazzling photographic essay by two renowned photographers.

The photographs are all reproduced as thumbnails at the end of the book, with caption commentaries, and the reference material includes a glossary of terms. 100+ color photographs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great book
Well presented, photos of Lewis always remarkable. My 4 year old son loves the bright colors and eruptions of "canoes" loves the book as well. Great book

Wonderful Photographs
This book has an excellent collection of volcano photos.The photos themselves show a variety of scenes from lava flows, to bubbling lava, volcanoes, the destruction caused by volcanoes and much more.Each color plate includes a description of where it was taken.Great stuff!

An extraordinary pick, capturing these volcanoes close-up and in action.
THE RED VOLCANOES: FACE TO FACE WITH THE MOUNTAINS OF FIRE surveys some of the most active volcanoes on earth - in Hawaii and on Reunion in the Indian Ocean - and are the focus of a photo essays by two photographers who have spent years capturing these most active volcanoes. While this could've also been featured in our Photography Shelf section, it's the science collection that will find it an extraordinary pick, capturing these volcanoes close-up and in action.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch ... Read more

Product Description
Just south of the Grand Canyon lies a range of volcanicmountains which includes the highest point in Arizona. For the firsttime, this book provides a popular look at the fiery origin of thesevolcanic features. With magnificent aerial photographs, originalgeologic illustrations, and detailed road logs to many of the keyfeatures, this book is an indispensable tool for the traveler, theeducator, and all who are interested in the remarkable landscape ofnorthern Arizona. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Volcanoes:what they are and how they work
Volcanoes are among the most interesting, awesome, and dangerous of geological phenomena.The also form many of the highest mountains we know-Olympus Mons on Mars, Mauna Kea, Popocatepetl, Kilimanjaro and many others on Earth.In spite of this, the average person has only an imprecise idea of what volcanos are and how they work.Duffield's fine book comes to the rescue.

The book addresses specifically volcanoes to be found in northern Arizona, so includes many pages of road logs intended for the resident or visitor to the area, pleasant excursions whose purpose is to illustrate a wealth of volcanic features.The rest of the book, however, is invaluable to anyone interested in learning more about volcanoes anywhere.Even though Duffield is a professional volcanologist of considerable repute, he uses clear language pleasantly free of technical jargon and aimed at the non-specialist.The many illustrations are lucid and well done, and the wonderful photographs by Michael Collier are a splendid asset.

The person interested in learning about volcanoes won't go wrong with this fine book.

Exemplary popular-science writing & gorgeous photos
______________________________________________
This book is a wonderful introduction to the San Francisco volcanic field, which created the high country around Flagstaff and the San Francisco Peaks, the highest mountains in Arizona. Duffield writes in a clear, direct style that's a pleasure to read. The book grew out of a long series of talks and lectures he's given around the Flagstaff - Grand Canyon area -- he quotes a fifth-grader who wrote a thank-you note for "being interesting and not boring," which is a nice capsule review of _Volcanoes_.

Although he's writing for a general audience, geologists who aren't intimately familiar with Northen Arizona will learn of some neat new discoveries -- such as the remarkable similarity between the Mt. St. Helens blowout and the Peaks' long-puzzling Inner Basin (p. 25). And that recent lava-dams on the Colorado River (near present-day Lava Falls) made lakes in Grand Canyon nearly half a mile deep!

And anyone with working eyes will be pleased with Michael Collier's splendid aerial photos -- if you're new to Collier, you will want to seek out his beautiful, large-format _Arizona : A View from Above_, which might be the best book of artistic air photos yet published (and which, sadly, is out of print).

Peter D. Tillman
Consulting Geologist, Tucson & Santa Fe (USA)

An excellent and invaluable guide when sightseeing Flagstaff
This book covers it all. Accessible text describes in a concise, but not condescending manner, the history of volcanoes in the northern Arizona and Flagstaff area.Excellent, even striking photography. Fine maps and drawings accent the text. This book is suitable reading material for professionals, college students and tourists alike. And an indispensable reference when traveling and sightseeing around Flagstaff, Arizona.

Most people don't realize that Flagstaff is situated near these barely dormant volcanoes which last erupted less than 800 years ago! Highly recommended! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (8)

Introduction to Tectonics w. Concentration on Volcanoes
There is much more to the Geological processes of Plate Tectonics than can be exposed in this small paperback.Required reading for a University course, it's an easy read with a wealth of illustrations and explains the basics in understandable language, explaining technical jargon when it appears. This is a 'get your feet wet' book for the novice, suitable to all ages capable of reading moderately technical texts.It's a quick read and the entire book can possibly be read and absorbed in a day or two, given the desire to do so.

Good purchase.
This book is in good condition, and has little writing in it. The book got shipped to me perfectly and is a great buy. I could have got the book used at my college bookstore but this was a great deal. Thanks!

Understanding volcanoes
I hardly ever read a college text straight through, but this book was so informative and lucidly written, I could scarcely put it down.I imagine "Volcanoes" is used as a freshman introductory course, as there is very little geological mumbo-jumbo about say, the differences between a reverse dip slip fault and a left lateral strike slip fault.

In fact, I wish I'd read this book first, before "The Encyclopedia of Earthquakes and Volcanoes" or "Perils of a Restless Planet."Its definitions are clear and easy to remember, and usually accompanied by a photograph or drawing.One of my favorites is a photograph of the San Andreas fault, which is a right lateral fault, "so called because for a person standing on either plate, the sense of motion on the opposite side is to the right."

Now, at least I understand the difference between left and right lateral faults.Dip slips and strike slips will have to wait for another book for geometrically-challenged folks like me---I can't just close my eyes and visualize a three dimensional object, unless prompted by very clear diagrams and text.

This book is an introduction to the geology of volcanoes (plate tectonics, the formation of mineral deposits, etc.), rather than a series of stories about dangerous volcanoes, although there is an appendix on "The World's 101 Most Notorious Volcanoes."One of my favorite chapters, "Volcanic Power" has little to do with volcanoes as we usually picture them, e.g. an erupting strato-volcano like Mt. Vesuvius.It is about geothermal energy, and why it might play an important role in our future:

"Even though geothermal power is still an infant and largely unproved industry, its potential makes it worth serious effort and investment.The U.S. Geological Survey in a recent assessment of potential geothermal energy resources in the fifty states to depths of 10 kilometers listed the following estimates:hydrothermal reservoirs, 12 x 10(to the 21st power) joules, or about 2 times the energy in the world's oil reserves; hot dry rock, 32 x 10(to the 24th power) joules, or about 6000 times the energy in the world's oil reserves; magma reservoirs, 4 x 10(to the 23rd power) joules, or about 80 times the energy in the world's oil reserves."

In light of recent history, perhaps we should be investing more research in our geothermal resources.

Read "Volcanoes" if you have any interest at all in geology.It would even make a good high school text, although it is a bit dated:my copy was published in 1981, but the only thing that struck me as out-of-date was a diagram of the Earth's crustal plates---the Juan de Fuca plate was labeled `Gorda Plate,' although everything was pretty much in the right place.Just be sure to buy the revised and expanded version that was published in 1989.

Outstanding blend of readability and rigor
This book presents fascinating yet complex information with commendable clarity.Not only is the writing excellent, but the diagrams add much to the exposition.For example, the diagram on page 88 ("Ring of Fire" chapter) clearly explains the relationship between severity of volcanism and earthquakes to the steepness of the angle at which a tectonic plate is subducted into the mantle.The book is sensibly organized into introductory material, chapters giving "autobiographies" of volcanoes and thus clarifying the multiplicity of volcanic and eruption types, chapters synthesizing this knowledge into generalization, and chapters explaining opportunities and risks associated with vulcanism (eruption dangers [carefully subdivided into discussion of nuées ardentes, lahars, and lava flows] potential of climatic change, likelihood of finding valuable ores, and the potential of geothermal power).Twenty-five superb color plates, in addition to the excellent diagrams, grace the book.Useful appendices include "World's 101 Most Notorious Volcanoes," web sites pertinent to volcanology, and a useful glossary (although the Icelandic term jökulhlaup [= "glacier outburst flood possibly triggered by volcanism"] is an omission I noted).
This book deserves the rare commendation of simultaneous suitability for a rigorous introductory course in volcanology and accessibility to the curious layperson with no formal geological training, such as myself.

It came real quick and its class Ahhaa!
When i bought this book, i thought previous reviews were all exagerated, but this book is truly amazing.Complexity put into good and understandable english.Any vulcanologist wannabe, like me, MUST havethis.Nice one Rob & Barb. ... Read more

Product Description
Volcanoes describes in stunning detail 100 active volcanoes around the planet. Every entry describes the principal characteristics of the volcano, such as the geodynamic environment leading to its formation, its structure, special features, morphology, its method of eruption, and the materials erupted. There are also traveler's directions for reaching each volcano.

The word volcano usually evokes images of cone-shaped mountains with smooth, steep slopes and a plume of smoke rising skyward. This, however, is only one of the five types of volcanoes. In this comprehensive guide, readers will learn about these basic types:

- Island-Arc volcanoes (Alaska, Japan and Indonesia)
- Hot-Spot volcanoes (Hawaii)
- Ocean-Ridge volcanoes (Iceland)
- Continental-Margin volcanoes (North America and the Andes)
- Continental-Rift volcanoes (eastern Africa)

Written and illustrated by experts in the field, Volcanoes will appeal to readers interested in science and natural history; travelers to regions of volcanic activity; students; and inhabitants of areas exposed to volcanic eruptions.

The book also addresses predicting eruptions and how to minimize the risks posed by them. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

pleased
I bought this book for my grandson because he is always borrowing a messed up copy from the library and complaining that they are marked
up or dammaged.I bought him a new copy.He loves it and carries it around with him.Thank you for you great service.

A very nice introduction to the world of volcanoes
This book is a fine introduction to the science, power, and beauty of volcanoes.The text is written for the lay person and will not bowl the reader over with technical jargon or esoteric equations.It is well organized and very well written.A particularly good feature is the review of many of world's best known,(and some not-so-well known), volcanoes, by way of short chapters on each. Each volcano is described in terms of location, type of volcano, dangerousness. and eruptive pattern.

The book is excellently illustrated in what appears to be a four-color format.These photographs alone would make this book a keeper.Some are simply spectacular.The book's numerous explanatory diagrams are also in color and seamlessly blend with the fine text and photographs to produce a comprehensive guide and text.

I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in physical geology or volcanoes, whether neophyte or expert.

Stunning and beautiful; everything you always wanted to know
This a beautifully printed little book, loaded with jaw-dropping, high-resolution photographs and diagrams in stunning color. The first part of the book covers the science of volcanism, and the second part (consisting about 80% of the book) is something I have always wanted: a survey of all the great volcanoes of the world, each illustrated with beautiful photographs and diagrams. The lattitude and longitude as well as the elevation of each volcano is given, followed by the specification of the volcano type, a geological history of the volcano, and a description of access and principal attractions. You're not going to believe the variety of colors and types of volcanoes photographed in this book. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Basil Pepperell thinks he's ordinary, but when he and his friend Louise ride her pet pteranodon, Beatrice, to forbidden Monkey Island, they discover an advanced society of monkeys bred to have human intelligence. This is the work of evil Euric von Rottweil, who is planning to use his monkeys to further his plan of "Peace Through World Domination." Stunning full-color illustrations on every page make this a wild, exciting page-turner.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

An outstanding chapter book packed with detail and adventure
Wiley Miller's ORDINARY BASIL: ATTACK OF THE VOLCANO MONKEYS tells of two children who sneak off for a fun day on a forbidden island, only to find the deadly Volcano Monkeys attack them and trap them in a cave. Their only way out is to go deeper within - there to encounter even more unexpected dangers. Color drawings throughout make for an outstanding chapter book packed with detail and adventure.

Fun interplay of futuristic physics and 19th century mechanics
My 9 year old enjoyed this book as a nice change from his first love, Bionicles.He particularly enjoyed the references to "9th dimensional physics", the fanciful monkeys, the emphasis on the physical layout of the alternate world, and the character of Ordinary Basil and his friends.Its a good book for reluctant older readers (ages 9 and 10) as it combines vibrant color illustrations on each page with a rather sophisticated vocabulary and a number of interesting concepts.

This is a good series to inspire kids to write, as it makes a nice change from all those dreary books set in elementary schools. My own son had to write a poem about one of his books and was dreading it, but once I suggested using this book he became fired up and was able to produce the poem in minutes.

There are currently two books in the series, and I hope the author writes more, quickly!

Review: Attack of the Volcano Monkeys
It's an exiting story where a boy named Basil and his friend, Louise, go to Monkey Island. Almost all of the book is Basil having a flashback on what happened on Monkey Island. I highly recommend this book for younger ages.


-Scott, Age 10

Worth the wait!
We loved the second installment of Ordinary Basil's adventures as much as the first!My four year-old that enjoyed the first book is now a 5 1/2 year old that was so excited to receive an early copy of Mr. Miller's wonderful new book.We had been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to track Basil's next escapades and were not disappointed.

Just like the first one, Attack of the Volcano Monkeys was hard to put down.There was much negotiation each night over "please, just on more chapter".This was a fun, fast read that combines a spendid story with fabulous pictures - a combination that is great fuel for a young imagination... and mom's too.

When is the third book out?We're waiting...

A book of imagination!
I was lucky enough to get one of the first copies of "Attack of the Volcano Monkeys". I thought the book was very interesting and imaginative. I have read "Extraordinary adventures of Ordinary Basil" also, again with this new book we read it as a family. However, I finished the last few chapters of this book by myself. In this book, Helios isn't the place, Monkey Island is where all the action happens. It is action packed, with everything from shooting darts to getting captured by owls, and much more. The story of Monkey Island is mostly about how the evil monkeys of Volcano Island betrayed their God. I'd like to tell other kids that this book was magnificent and is a great book to enjoy with your family, but you can finish it yourself like I did. So if you get help from your family reading this one, try reading the ending by yourself, you can do it! ... Read more

Product Description
True-life accounts from a wide variety of people, including scientists, sightseers, and thrillseekers, add to the compelling readability of this book that gives readers both a historical perspective on the human experience of volcanoes and a scientific perspective on why they occur and what scientists are doing to help people stay out of the way. ... Read more

Product Description
Over the past few years, devastating tsunamis off the coast of the Indian Ocean have killed hundreds of thousands of people. Even more alarmingly, scientists predict that these tsunamis, as well as a series of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, may eventually threaten Hawaii, California, and Oregon. The cause of this trinity of natural disasters is plate tectonics. Perhaps the greatest advance made in the field of earth science, the plate-tectonics theory argues that the surface of the Earth is broken into large plates, which change in size and position over time. The edges of these plates rub against each other, causing earthquakes, volca­noes, and tsunamis that continue to inflict such intense destruction to the surface our planet. In Furnace of Creation, Cradle of Destruction, renowned scientist Roy Chester reveals the fascinating history of this discovery and tells the enigmatic story of one of the great mysteries of our time: how the surface of our planet was created and how it has evolved. From the early discoveries of Sir Francis Bacon to the begin­nings of geology and the controversy surrounding the theory of conti­nental drift, this impeccably researched book reveals the evolution of a vital sci­en­ti­fic theory. Lucid and compelling, this book offers a long-awaited explanation of the under­ly­ing forces that shape our world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Bum review!
this was a huge mess!Besides being wrong in many points, he was inaccurate in many others.The only chapter worth keeping was the one on Plate Tectonics.Where was the editor on this???

An awesome book! Relevant, Readable.
The author clearly explains the history of earth science as it relates to the realization of plate tectonics. This is fascinating and eye-opening for a layperson like me! I found myself up late several nights reading this book.

The author also makes the material relevant by using the natural disasters across time to illustrate many points. There are over a dozen "Panels" that explain some of the most incredible natural disasters such as the New Madrid earthquake of 1811-12, the Pakistan earthquake of 2005, and of course the 2004 Tsunami in Indonesia. There are also many charts and diagrams explaining plate tectonics, ocean floor spreading, fault lines, "hot zones", etc. Add to that the many charts (such as the most devastating earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis of recorded history) - these all make the book an easy read.

If you were horrified yet fascinated with the 2004 Tsunami and the science surrounding our understanding of the events, then this book will definitely keep your attention.

The only minor criticism I have is that the author mentions the "shackles of religion" holding back modern science and seems to think that modern science has made religion and/or faith redundant. I would strongly disagree with this. But, that is a VERY minor criticism.

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a completely new and revised edition of the best-seller "Fire in the Sea: The Santorini Volcano, Natural History and the Legend of Atlantis" (originally published by Cambridge University Press, 2000). When the Greek island of Santorini, classically known as Thera, dramatically erupted in 1613 BC 13 years, it produced one of the largest explosions ever witnessed, thereby possibly giving rise to the legend of Atlantis. This so-called 'Minoan' eruption triggered tsunamis that devastated coastal settlements in the region. On Santorini it left behind a Bronze Age Pompeii, which is now being excavated. Thriving Bronze Age settlements on the island - rich in colourful wall paintings and highly sophisticated pottery - were buried under thick layers of volcanic ash. The ejection of an immense volume of dust into the atmosphere also altered global climate for several years. The author, a well-known geologist, blends the thrill of scientific discovery with a popular presentation of the geology, archaeology, history, people and the environmental settings of the island group of Santorini. He not only gives a comprehensive overview of the volcanic island and its past, but also reports on the latest discoveries: the finding, for example, of olive trees which had been buried by the Minoan eruption has now made it possible to give a direct and precise radiocarbon date for the volcanic catastrophe. The author also seeks to assign certain geological structures, such as faulted rocks, red lavas and harbour sites, as depicted on the Bronze Age frescos from Santorini, to still-existing details in the Santorini landscape of today. Excellent colour photographs and illustrations along with easily understandable scientific and historic details will make this book highly appealing to a wide audience. It will also be useful as a supplementary text for introductory courses in earth and atmospheric sciences, geology, volcanology, and paleoclimatology, as well as ancient history and archaeology. ... Read more