Monroe Free Library

Did you know that cars can run on french-fry grease or that human poop can be used to provide power to classrooms? Kids in Mexico help light up their houses by playing soccer, and in the Philippines, pop-bottle skylights are improving the quality of life for thousands of families. Brilliant! is about what happens when you harness the power of imagination and innovation: the world changes for the better! Full of examples of unusual (and often peculiar)...

A celebration of the humble bicycle, from the very first boneshakers to the sleek racing bikes of today, from handlebars to spokes to gear sprockets, and shows you why and how bikes can make the world a better place.

A roof, a door, some windows, a floor. All houses have them, but not all houses are alike. Some have wings (airplane homes), some have wheels (Romany vardoes), some float; some are made of straw, some of snow and ice. Some are enormous, some are tiny; some are permanent and some are temporary. But all are home. Take Shelter explores the way people live all over the world and beyond--from the Arctic to the Antarctic, from an underground house in Las...

"Whether they live alone or together, in a hive or in a hole in the ground, bees do some of the most important work on the planet: pollinating plants. [This book] celebrates the magic of bees--from swarming to dancing to making honey--and encourages readers to do their part to keep the hives alive." --

This book explores how growing a cabbage can fight poverty, how a few dollars can help ten families start their own businesses, and how running errands for a neighbor can help you learn to become a bike mechanic. It asks the question "What if you could meet all your consumer needs while, at the same time, get to know your neighbors and protect the environment?

"Part of the nonfiction Orca Footprints series for middle readers, with color photographs throughout. Find out why the ocean matters, why it is an amazing place and what you can do to keep it that way."--

Picture a busy avenue. Now plant trees along the boulevard, paint a mural by the empty lot, and add a community garden. Set up benches along the sidewalks and make space for kids' chalk drawings, and you've set the scene for a thriving community. Placemaking--personalizing public and semi-private spaces like front yards--is a growing trend in cities and suburbs around the world, drawing people out of their homes and into conversation with one another....

"Part of the nonfiction Footprints series for middle readers, this book examines the good and the bad of the chemicals we come into contact with in our daily lives."--

"Part of the nonfiction Orca Footprints series for middle readers, in this book young readers discover innovations and inventions inspired by nature"--

"Part of the nonfiction Footprints series for middle-grade readers, this book examines our relationships with watersheds and what we need to do to protect them for future generations."--