Ocean State Libraries

"Millions of people visit xkcd.com each week to read Randall Munroe's iconic webcomic. His stick-figure drawings about science, technology, language, and love have a large and passionate following. Fans of xkcd ask Munroe a lot of strange questions. What if you tried to hit a baseball pitched at 90 percent the speed of light? How fast can you hit a speed bump while driving and live? If there was a robot apocalypse, how long would humanity last? In...

Questions and answers explore the world of beetles, with an emphasis on ladybugs.

Questions and answers explore the world of marsupials, animals with pouches, with an emphasis on the kangaroo.

Questions and answers explore the world of insectivores, with an emphasis on hedgehogs.

"When Rosie Revere's Uncle Ned gets a little carried away wearing his famous helium pants, it's up to Ada and friends to chase him down. As Uncle Ned floats farther and farther away, Ada starts asking lots of questions: How high can a balloon float? Is it possible for Uncle Ned to float into outer space? And what's the best plan for getting him down?"--

Questions and answers explore the world of New World monkeys, with an emphasis on howler monkeys.

"How to Swallow a Pig is a clever and whimsical nonfiction book about animal behavior disguised as a How-to/Advice book by the bestselling team of Steve Jenkins and Robin Page."--

Don't Know Much About Geography by New York Times bestselling author Kenneth C. Davis is a fascinating and fun exploration of our planet. Geography is the hub from which other disciplines radiate: meteorology, ecology, geology, oceanography, demographics, cartography, agricultural studies, economics, and political science. In addition to presenting geographical trivia that'll impress your friends, Davis explores 21st-century topics of global concern,...

Ken Jennings wants to find out if mother and father always know best. Yes, all those years you were told not to sit too close to the television (you'll hurt your eyes!) or swallow your gum (it stays in your stomach for seven years!) or crack your knuckles (arthritis!) are called into question by our country's leading trivia guru. Jennings separates myth from fact to debunk a wide variety of parental edicts: no swimming after meals, sit up straight,...

Pairs of photographs present questions and answers which exploresome causes and effects in a child's world. Example: "Down comes the rain...what happens next? Splashing in puddles!"